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
Alexsia ignored what he said while he secretly mumbled to himself that this was why Kazamir hated those naive, rich kids.…On the other hand.Luca had been busy with work at Watsons Biopharmaceuticals all day. She was asked to take a leave after she received a phone call from Luke. Confusion was written all over her face when she got into Warren’s car and arrived at the mall."Did Mr. Crawford tell you to drop me off here?" asked Luca."Yes, Ms. Craw," answered Warren, noticing how bewildered she was. "Have you forgotten that the party will be held tonight?"Luca glanced at her phone and realized that today was Friday…“I totally forgot about it…” She had forgotten about the dinner amidst a string of responsibilities she had to juggle for the past few days."Boss has already made an appointment with the fashion house on the tenth floor for you," said Warren.Luke already expected that Luca would forget about it and made arrangements for her.Luca would be the center of att
"Okay." Luca rose to her feet and followed the stylist to the fitting room. Hundreds of gowns were displayed on the racks. There was a dazzling array of choices."Ms. Craw, since it's the company's dinner, I shall pick something simple and elegant for you. I’ll go with something that matches your makeup and hairstyle and isn't too showy," suggested the stylist. She walked to the end of the rows of gowns and asked for Luca’s opinion.The last row of gowns was the most exclusive gowns displayed. The stylist picked a few simple, short dresses and tried matching them with Luca's body figure. "I think these will look great on you. Ms. Craw, what do you think?""I'll take this." Luca pointed at a black-colored short dress. It had clean cuts, and it was perfect for the event tonight. It would not make Luca look overdressed."You have good taste. I’ll let my assistant help you get changed." The stylist smiled and handed the dress to her assistant. Luca shook her head and replied, "It
“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