“Do you know why he chose X City?” Amur shot her a glance and continued to clean the vegetables.When he first learned that Abel had chosen X City as the final destination, he was surprised.After all, their base was usually in A City.Luca picked up a slice of beef and placed it in the mixer. After she pressed the blending mode, she answered Amur’s question, “Well, if it’s just the Mallory family that bothers Abel, he wouldn’t have much reason to choose X City. But what if it’s a joint investigation by the Crawford family, the Mallory family, and the Holston family into Pierre’s kidnapping? If Pierre is still in A City, he can be easily found.”"Three families? How do you know that the Crawford family and Holston family are helping the Mallory family?" Amur frowned. He knew that Percy, Luke, and Jim were close friends.However, Percy and the Mallory family had fallen out, so how could the Crawford family and the Holston family help the Mallory family?Nowadays, the younger gener
Percy felt a sense of helplessness wash over him as they mentioned the kidnapping of his younger brother. He had to wait for Mr. Bennet to gather all the surveillance footage. They waited in silence for the manager to serve them the appetizer. It was not until the manager had finally left their room that Luke finally spoke, "It’s probably him.”Percy arched an eyebrow and picked the most expensive wine bottle, cracking it open. "Who do you suspect?""The Island of Despair," replied Luke. The name rolled off his tongue like a bitter pill. It was a name they were all too familiar with.Percy’s expression darkened at the mention of the Island of Despair. When he had first heard about his brother's kidnapping, he, too, had suspected them. However, he could not fathom why they would target Pierre.That was why he did not continue thinking about it."Pierre bought the bidding document of the T Corporation from them back then. Then, he ended up worse when he tried to take advantage o
He insisted on meeting Luke in person before revealing any information about the Island of Despair.In addition, Marcos received news about his mother living here. That was why he planned to make a trip to A City. He claimed to the people on his side that he needed to come here to do business, then he would take a charter flight to travel to A City."The remnants of the Island of Despair need to be eliminated," Percy said in a sinister tone. On the other hand, after Luca had dinner with Amur, Amur took the initiative to clean up the table. Luca took out the dough that had been left to rest and the marinated filling. Then, she walked to the dining room to prepare pot pies and croissants.Amur sat beside her and watched Luca divide the flour for the croissants and pot pies. He waited to see how she did it.Luca's fingers were slender. She was skilled when she rolled the dough. It only took a while before a beautifully shaped croissant appeared in her hands."You’re good with you
[I’ll be right back.] After Luca replied to his message, she lifted her head and smiled at Amur. “I'm going back now. Take care of yourself.”"Okay." Amur nodded.Luca did not let Amur escort her to the lobby, so he walked her to the door instead. As he watched her step into the elevator and heard the doors slowly close, he closed the door.Mrs. Selley walked out carrying a bag of garbage. She glanced at Amur as though she wanted to ask him something. However, she sighed and shook her head at the thought of what he had said before. Mrs. Selley gave her relative’s daughter a call after Amur rejected her.The girl could not help but burst into tears after she heard what Mrs. Selley said on the phone.Mrs. Selley felt sorry for bearing bad news. Thus, she spent some time comforting her before reluctantly ending the call.She ran into Amur when she was about to take out the trash.Amur did not bother to greet her and closed the door right away.Mrs. Selley could not help but mutt
Percy knew what Luke was thinking, so he patted him on the shoulders. “Once the Island of Despair is eradicated, she can finally be with you for good.”“Yeah.” Luke’s voice was hoarse, and he was getting dizzy from anger.It was the anger he had toward the Island of Despair.The thugs from the Island of Despair were actually brave enough to pick on him back then.This time, after the resurgence of the Island of Despair, they picked on Luca.There was no way he would ever let them get away with it!“Come, let’s have a drink. The surveillance footage will probably be sent over by the time we’re done drinking.” Percy opened another bottle of wine.His subordinates were drinking in the room next door, and they began investigating Pierre’s whereabouts while waiting for the footage to be sent over.They drank until dawn.When there was finally a knock on the door, the three of them simultaneously put down their wine glasses. “It’s here,” Percy said.Jim turned off the music in the
”Got it.” Percy understood what he meant.It was already midnight by the time they finished their drinking session.After drinking, the three had their respective drivers drive them home instead of driving themselves.Luke sat in the backseat while looking at the bright lights of A City. Even though it was already midnight, the streets were still lively as if the nightlife was never-ending.“Boss, do you need me to turn up the heater?” Lliam asked faintly as he looked at Luke through the rearview mirror, who was silent the entire time.“No need.” Luke withdrew his gaze and leaned back on the chair with his eyes closed. He drank a little too much today, so he was feeling a little tipsy.He drank this much not because of Pierre but Luca…The woman he loved most.Luke wished that he could just get rid of the Island of Despair for good, but he could not do it yet for the sake of Luca’s health.How long would he have to wait before Luca developed the antidote and escaped the clutch
“You’re right.” He agreed and buried his jaw in her neck.A wave of ticklish heat washed over Luca, causing her to feel even hotter. "If they’re after the money, is the Mallory family able to pay the demanded amount for Pierre?" she asked.Pierre had become a disgrace to the Mallory family now. He had caused so much trouble that if it were not for Madam Mallory, no one would be willing to clean up his mess.Even Old Master Mallory’s heart had grown cold toward him.Would Old Master Mallory really give the money to Pierre if Abel asked the Mallory family for the ransom?"Pierre can’t get into any trouble now," said Luke. Even if Old Master Mallory refused to give the money, he would not just sit there and watch Pierre suffer at the hands of his kidnappers.However, Pierre must be going through a lot of pain at the moment....On the other hand. Pierre was still tied to a chair with a dirty, smelly piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth. His right leg was fastened to two pieces
"He values his life too much to commit suicide," replied Alexsia as he glanced at the man lying on the bed.Pierre believed he still had a chance to escape. That was why he would never take his own life.Kazimir nodded and glanced at Pierre, who looked half-dead. He felt disgusted and asked, "Did you give him a shot?""Yes. I used the medicine given by the organization. The man who developed the medicine guarantees that he won’t die even if he takes it." Alexsia smiled as he patted his companion's shoulder. Then, he added, "Keep an eye on him. I'm leaving to have a cigarette.""Okay." Kazimir nodded. Then, he pulled a chair and sat down."Oh, by the way, he might try to bribe you to help him escape. Don't lose your patience. I’m afraid that you might kill him," Alexsia reminded him."Don't worry. He's our boss' fortune charm. I won’t dare to do such a thing." Kazimir chuckled. He was amused by Pierre’s naivety. It seemed like Pierre had no idea what kind of organization the Is
“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