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
“Yes,” replied Luke.Susan had refused to move out of Crawford Manor. However, Old Master Crawford said that they were welcome to go back and stay for a few days occasionally. Still, if Susan insisted on staying in Crawford Manor, he would move out.Susan was worried that Old Master Crawford would favor Luke even more after he moved to his place. That was why she eventually agreed to move here with Louis.However, there was a condition.The reason why Susan agreed to move was that it would be convenient for her to help Louis and Yuri to look after Thea. Hence, Susan would move back to Crawford Manor when Thea was having her school holidays. She would move back to Louis’ house when classes started again.Susan did not think it was troublesome, and Old Master Crawford had no comment either.That way, Old Master Crawford could live in peace for a few months.“Is Grandma Susan moving here too?” Tommy could not help but blurt out. He did not expect Susan to organize the housewarming
“As long as he stays out of your sight, I won’t make a move,” said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Luke’s pals, he would have been long gone.Anyone who dared to mess with someone Ray cherished would not be let off easily. The only reason Gordan was still breathing was thanks to Luke.“Alright, Ray. Just let it go. I’ve moved on and started a new life. Plus, I’m studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, we’ll just be strangers. There’s no need to step in for me or act impulsively.” Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.“Is it the clothes delivery?” asked Ray.“No, while you were talking with Mr. Crawford, I asked someone to buy some medicinal cream. The ones here work better than the ones in Russia. A little massage with it should help you heal faster,” Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.“Miss, is the boss alright?” asked one of Ray’s subordinates.“He’s fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, “Can you walk me through your plan?”“The prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. I’ve already spoken with the prison officials, and we can use that passage to transport her out. It connects to the sewage system, which leads directly to another detention facility. "The only catch is that this facility’s underground pipes don’t connect to the outside world, so the remaining 10% risk lies in moving Kassy onto the main road and securing her at the new location.“This whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why I’m confident it’ll work.” As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. “Here’s the layout I had someone retrieve. This is the starting point, and this is the destination. If we take this route, we can move Kassy without alerting Abel’s people.”Abel’s men were keeping a constant watch outside the prison now. That was prec
Luke had no idea what kind of mindset the person who poisoned Vivian had. However, he found Gordan’s current behavior quite intriguing.“Luke, what’s with that look?” Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.“You seem pretty concerned about Vivian,” Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. “What? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, don’t say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.”Luke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. “Why are you here?”“Speaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.” Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. “Man, Ray really didn’t hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.”Luke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. “Unlock it.”“All set, boss.” Gordan unlocked the phone and went back to pressing an ice pack against his face.Luke scanned the scr
It was the sound of a body slamming onto the ground.Gordan’s furious curses rang out. “Damn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?”Another loud thud followed.Vivian frowned. What the hell were they doing? Were they really going to fight until one of them won?Both of them were skilled fighters. If they kept this up, neither would walk away unscathed.“Enough!” shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.“Vivian, stay out of this. I’m beating him to a pulp today,” growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.“Ray, I don’t want to see him,” said Vivian. She did not want Ray fighting him. It was not to protect Gordan but because she did not want Ray getting hurt.Also, she definitely did not want Gordan to see her like this. She could already picture his smug face, his sarcastic remarks and his gloating.“Fine. If you don’t want to see him, I’ll just beat
After returning to the hotel from the hospital, Vivian felt much better.To her, the fact that Ray had taken her to the hospital meant there was hope for the future, which lifted her spirits. She picked up an apple from the fruit platter the hotel had provided and took a bite.“Ray, this apple is really good. Want to try one?” asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. “You go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?”Vivian nodded. “I only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.”Ray walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.“You didn't bring any food with you?” asked Ray.“I haven’t really been in the mood, but the food here is way better than Russian food, so I didn't feel the need to bring anything.” Vivian’s tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.“That's true.” Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. “Alright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, we’ll still need your help.”“For toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Don’t worry, if I can help, I definitely will,” Luca assured him.“Alright, thank you.” Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, “If Vivian was really poisoned, don’t worry. Previously, Luca discovered that her biological mother had been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin. She prescribed herbal medicine and used purely traditional herbal medicine to detoxify her. It didn’t take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If it’s something she can fix, she’ll do everything she can.“Besides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?”“Yes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. “Ms. Sanchez, what's wrong?”He was eager to get back upstairs and stash his cigarettes before someone noticed and took them.Hera yanked open his bag, glanced at the cigarette brand, and scoffed. “I thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And you’re acting all deferential to her over this?”Gerald was rendered speechless. “I knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand I’m used to. Maybe it’s not expensive to you, but for me, it’s what I can afford.”Realizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. “Still, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?”“It’s not about the money,” replied Gerald. “It's just a nice surprise. I never expected to get anything out of helping Ms. Craw, and this kind of unexpected gift has nothing to do with the price. Besides, I'm not being overly grateful. I'm just happy.”He was ba
Luca’s lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Luke’s eyes, was utterly captivating. It tugged at his nerves, stirring an uncontrollable desire within him.At that moment, he had only one thought, and it was to completely lose himself in her.…The two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, “Hello, Mr. Crawford.”“Vivian, don’t worry. Everything will get better,” replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Luca’s hand and led her away.It was only after hearing the door close that Vivian finally turned back around.Ray glanced at her and said, “Vivian, they’re your friends. You don’t have to act this way around them. They won’t judge you.”“I know they won’t…” Vivian let out a soft sigh. “I just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didn’t want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But it’
“I once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivian’s. Given that your family has good genetics, yet Vivian is different from the rest of you, and her skin improved after leaving her original environment, all of this confirms my suspicion.“Could it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.”“If she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?” asked Ray.Luca shook her head.“The poison I’ve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victim’s skin dark. I don’t know exactly what it was, but long-term exposure to any poison has an effect on the body. It's just a suspicion now. I need to consult someone I know. And honestly, I can’t be sure what’s really causing Vivian’s condition.“Is her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a