Right after that, the parent sitting in front of Tommy piped in, “Mr. Collins, my child did well in Math too. Can he join the competition?”Mr. Collins nodded and replied, “Of course. The training is free, but there’s a limited number of participants for each school. So, the school will organize a competition before the Mathematical Olympiad takes place to pick the students who’ll participate.” The parent added, “My child is good at math. I’m sure he can do it. Mr. Collins, I’d like to register for my child first.”“Sure, Mrs. Jenkins. Let me register for you,” offered Mr. Collins.Once Mrs. Jenkins said that to Mr. Collins, other parents also came to register for their children to participate in the mathematics training program, hoping that their kids could join the competition.Mr. Collins was surrounded by the parents at once."Ms. Luca, I don't want to attend the training program after school," said Tommy. All he wanted was to go home and do his homework with Lanie and Raini
They did not expect to see Luca here at the parent-teacher conference.Mrs. Hudson turned around and glanced at Luca with a complicated look on her face.She had a feeling that Luca had something to do with the lawsuit. At the same time, she was confused about why Luke would stand up for her.Today, Luke asked his lawyer to deliver the letter to their company because of what happened yesterday. Mrs. Hudson knew Luke was capable of doing so.However, it did not look like he wanted to teach them a lesson for his child. It seemed more like he was standing up for the woman.It was because she drove Luca mad yesterday.“Myra, it’s your fault. How are we supposed to explain this to Luke Crawford and ask him not to go against our company?” Brigham, Charlie’s father, could not help but blame her.Myra felt aggrieved. Brigham had been telling her it was her fault since they received the lawyer’s letter.However, she could not be blamed for everything!Myra could not help but complain,
“Is that so? Mrs. Tuffey doesn’t look like that kind of person.” Luca smiled. It would be inappropriate for her to show a cold expression to the parent who was talking to her.The parent shook her head and said, “Even though you don’t think so, your child is still going to be the unlucky one.”After that, she turned around and raised her hand. She told the teacher that she would be responsible for the drinks needed for the school outing. “Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Blair.” Mrs. Tuffey immediately recorded it down.Another parent came walking in right after that. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Tuffey. I’m late.”“Hello, Mrs. Glisson. It’s okay. Take a seat, please.” Mrs. Tuffey smiled. Mrs. Glisson was always late for the parent-teacher conference. Mrs. Tuffey had already gotten used to it.She heard that Mrs. Glisson was engaged in international trade, and she was usually busy. It was not easy for her to make time for her daughter's matters.“Mommy, take a seat.” Ashley let her mother sit on the
“But Tommy’s fine… I was just blowing off steam yesterday. Ms. Luca, can’t you forgive us and let us go?” Myra could not help but whimper. She was also blaming Luca for being heartless.“Why would you say that?” Luca looked at her red eyes.Luca knew Myra’s eyes were red because she cried. It was not because she felt aggrieved. She could still see the frustration in her eyes.If Tommy’s father was not Luke, this might have ended differently…“What?” Myra suddenly could not understand what Luca meant.“You said Tommy is fine. Why would you say that?” asked Luca. Since they wanted to make things unreasonable, she would give them a taste of it as well.Myra was startled for a moment. She did not know how to answer the question.Myra was not the child. How could she know that? She had no choice but to say with some embarrassment, “Look at him. Isn’t he doing fine now?”Luca gave them a cold-eyed stare and said, “Tommy’s father made these arrangements. Go and look for him if you’d l
Luca hurried to the laboratory. She realized Rhett was standing right behind the laboratory’s door. He was blocking the door, stopping others from going out.“What’s the matter?” Luca asked in a deep voice.Rhett told her what had happened on the phone, but Luca wanted Rhett to tell her about it in front of the researchers.“Dr. Craw, Ambrose took your sample.” There was this sullen look on Rhett’s face.It was obvious that he was angry.Previously, Luca had warned them not to look at her research data. Not only did they refuse to listen to her, but they also tried to make him talk.Rhett then found out that they were trying to steal the sample in the equipment and keep them for themselves when he was about to leave the laboratory.They did not say anything until the experiment report was out.If it were not for Rhett who returned to the laboratory and overheard them discussing where they should hide Luca’s sample, he would not have known.Rhett knew they had stolen the sample
Luca shook her head and paused for a moment. Then, she shook her head again.Ambrose looked at how strangely Luca was acting. He trembled with fear and dared not to say anything, waiting for her judgment.“Ambrose, you’re wrong,” Luca slowly uttered as she looked at the test tube in her hands. “If you’d like to learn from me, you’d have many chances to learn from the next research project. You shouldn’t have stolen my research sample.”Ambrose could sense the sympathy in Luca's voice. He knew it was impossible for him to continue working here.He was in despair.He initially thought Luca would not find out about it and Rhett would destroy the sample after it was analyzed. Hence, he took the sample and happily told the others that he would soon find out what Luca was working on.He did not expect Rhett to overhear their conversation.Ambrose did not know Rhett would return to the laboratory. Otherwise, he would not have shown off to his colleagues that he had the research sampl
Luca had never thought of making a big deal out of it.Ambrose was wrong, but if the police officers got involved in this, the research she was working on could be exposed.Luca did not want to get into trouble when she had made it so far.Rhett left with the employee termination letter. He had to head to the HR department and let them stamp the employee termination letter. Only then did he pass the letter to Ambrose.Luca watched Rhett leave from behind. It was none of her business now. Hence, she said, “Tommy, let’s go.”“Alright, Ms. Luca.” Tommy heard her and put his exercise book back into his school bag. After he zipped his bag, he jumped off the chair and waved to Mo Stone. “Goodbye, Ms. Stone.”“Bye.” Mo Stone smiled and waved back at him.Mo Stone touched her face after she watched the two of them leave. She wondered if she looked old. Why did Tommy address her in such a formal way?Mo Stone could not help but ponder.Luca left the office with Tommy. After they got in
In the living room.The three kids sat side by side on the sofa, enjoying their fruits.Rainie turned to look at Tommy, and she asked, “Tommy, Ms. Luca attended your school’s parent-teacher conference today. Did anything happen?”“Yes!” Tommy immediately put down his fork and started to tell his siblings what happened today. “Rainie, Charlie’s parents apologized to us!” "Charlie? Is he the one who fell in front of you, didn't dare to admit it, and blamed you for it?" Lanie knew about the events of yesterday.Tommy seemed to have mentioned Charlie’s name when he told them about it yesterday.“Yes. That’s him! His mother was terrifying yesterday. She looked like she was going to eat Ms. Luca alive. But she chickened out today. She kept on apologizing to us. Daddy sued them, so they came to apologize to keep the dispute out of court,” explained Tommy as he danced with joy.Tommy had behaved himself when he was there at the scene, but he was secretly thrilled.“They aren’t afraid
“Mr. Mallory, won’t you feel guilty if something happens to Nina?” Sue did not understand why he refused to call the police.“It won’t happen.” Percy furrowed his brows as his mind raced to find a solution.Sue was even more confused. “Just because you say it won’t happen, does that mean it won’t? Yes, Madam Mallory is your mother, but Nina is also your wife. If your mother harms your wife, shouldn’t you call the police? Instead of doing that, you’re leaving her in this dangerous situation. I honestly feel sorry for Nina.”Sue had always been straightforward. She thought Percy would protect Nina for life, but seeing him defend Karen at the cost of his wife’s safety, she was deeply disappointed.She felt she was in no position to feel sorry for Nina, but she could not understand Percy’s actions.Percy furrowed his brows. Calling the police was not an option.The Mallory family could not afford this kind of turmoil.If Old Master Mallory found out that he handed his mother over to
Nina trembled when she was touched. Her whole body was shaking.Karen’s touch was icy cold, and when her hand fell on Nina’s face, it carried a chill.“Don’t hurt her!” Percy’s voice was hoarse, his anger barely concealed in his eyes.He was furious but kept reminding himself not to provoke Karen.“Hmph, look at how nervous you are.” Karen's patience wore thin. Without another word, she laid out her conditions. “If you want me to let her go, fine.”“What do you want me to do?” Percy knew the conditions she was about to propose would not be as simple as keeping her out of the psychiatric hospital.It could involve Pierre.Perhaps even the company.Even though Karen had spoken to him about the high hopes she had for him, Percy did not believe a word of it. To her, from beginning to end, the only person who mattered was Pierre.Percy was merely a tool to secure her position in the Mallory family.“See? You still care about this woman. You’ve disappointed me!” Karen glanced at Ni
“Mr. Mallory, I didn’t dare to go in. Nina and your mother are still inside.” After Sue realized that Nina might be in danger, she had been waiting outside, unwilling to leave.She had been planning to rush in with the other employees if she heard Nina scream.Percy's expression darkened. He did not blame Sue for the situation, so he did not say anything. Instead, he quickly walked to Nina’s office door and pushed it open.The sight before him sent a chill through his veins, as though his blood had turned to ice.“You're here?” Karen fixed her eerie gaze on the person who had opened the door. A strange, sinister smile curved at the corners of her lips. She stood behind Nina with a knife tightly gripped in her hand.The sharp blade was pressed against Nina’s neck, already leaving a faint red mark.Sue gasped at the sight and instantly lost her composure.Karen frowned in dissatisfaction, moving the knife slightly and muttering, “Why is there another woman here? Tell her to leave!
“'ll contact someone in A City to investigate,” said Gale.“Let Percy know while you're at it,” added Luke. “He needs to be aware of this.”“Got it.” Gale hurried off to handle the matter.…After taking Gale's call, Percy hung up and stared icily at the middle-aged man standing before him.Under Percy's chilling gaze, the man nervously dabbed at the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.“Mr. Mallory, my sincerest apologies…” The man, the director of the psychiatric hospital, had come to personally apologize to Percy today.Karen had escaped.Two days ago, Percy admitted Karen to the psychiatric hospital. After an evaluation, the doctors determined her condition warranted hospitalization, so she was admitted.Even though Karen was against it, given her mental state and with the consent of an immediate family member, the hospital was legally authorized to proceed.Percy had even informed the hospital to take special care of Karen. He had explicitly instructed them not to
When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already darkened slightly.Luca mumbled, feeling the warmth beside her. She instinctively curled closer. “What time is it?”“It's a little past five.” Luke gently rubbed her back, offering a quiet comfort to help her feel at ease.Since he could not be there beside her, he could only make these small gestures to bring her some peace of mind.“An entire afternoon just passed like that…” Luca was reluctant to leave at the moment. Her slender fingers lightly pressed against his chest.Luke took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss, holding it as if it were something precious and tenderly stroking it.Luca's hands had once been delicate and smooth, but during their time in the small villa, they had become much rougher.“You've got calluses.” Luke felt sorry for her.Luca gently traced her finger over his lips, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on him. “It’s just from the needlework and the experiments I’ve been d
Luca walked over to another couch and sat down. “I think I’ll stay here. How about letting Luke come down so that we can all catch up? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”Gordan’s face fell. “Ms. Craw, are you doing this on purpose?”Luca pretended not to know anything. “Doing what on purpose?”Gordan quickly shook his head. “Nothing. Just go upstairs already. Brother Luke’s been waiting for you.”Luca had intended to tease Gordan a little longer, but after not seeing Luke for the past few days, she found herself missing him deeply. Standing up with a smile, she said, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Oh, by the way, Mr. Gale, could you help me pick up a few things? Someone over there asked me to get them, and I couldn’t refuse.”“Sure, no problem. What do you need?” Gale agreed immediately.After handing him the list, Luca turned and headed upstairs.Gale watched Luca leave from behind, nudging Gordan’s arm. “Let’s go. We should leave and give the boss and Ms. Cr
The security guard remained completely unfazed.This was because the village chief was his uncle, and in their tight-knit community, they always stuck together and never favored outsiders.With directions from the people inside the ancestral hall, Hera found the village chief.“You’re the village chief, right?” Hera looked at the man in his fifties in front of her and spoke with an arrogant tone, completely unbothered.“And you are?” The village chief, seeing her attitude, was puzzled. He had no idea whether she was an investor or someone looking to discuss a major partnership to bring development to their quiet village.“It doesn’t matter who I am. I see you have surveillance here, and I need to review your footage,” replied Hera.The village chief was even more confused. “Are you a police officer?”“No.” Hera frowned. She thought reviewing surveillance footage was no big deal. Why was this village chief being so difficult?The village chief gave her a look as if she were a fo
“Wait a little longer. By the way, what kind of ancestral hall is this?” asked Hera.“It's a local family's ancestral hall. I heard it's been designed by the owner of a large company, and now it's also one of the tourist attractions.” The taxi driver was not from around here, so he did not know all the details, but he knew it had become a popular spot. “Now, thanks to the reputation of that boss, many architects come here as one of their reference points.”Hera frowned deeper. What was Luca doing here?The driver suggested, “If you're interested in sightseeing, the attractions inside are pretty good. But for outsiders, they charge an entrance fee. Maintenance costs a lot of money, so they charge tourists from outside.”“I'm not here for sightseeing,” replied Hera, “Don't worry. I'll pay you for however long I stay here. You’ll get your money.”The driver heard that she was paying, and did not press her further and remained quiet.Hera stared at the entrance of the ancestral hall,
Hera let out a cold sneer, feeling that Gerald's apology was not sincere.Hera did not want to press the issue at the moment. She gave him a sharp look. “Come with me.”Gerald knew that Hera was up to something again. If it were a normal order, she would have just said it in the living room. Whenever she called him aside, it meant whatever she had to say could not be overheard by others.Reluctantly, Gerald followed her out.It was midday, and as soon as Hera stepped out of the living room, a wave of heat hit her face.The intense warmth made her feel uncomfortable.Hera got straight to the point, turning to Gerald. “What did Luca say to you just now?”“She just asked me to help keep an eye on the volunteer,” Gerald answered honestly. This was not something that needed to be kept secret.Hera frowned. “Is she going out”Gerald hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say anything.“I’m talking to you, not the wall. Are you mute?” Hera threatened. “If you lie to me, I’ll te