”Hi, Dr. Craw,” Gale greeted her smilingly.“Mr. Gale, am I interrupting?” Luca noticed that Gale had changed his hairstyle, and he was dressed differently too. He looked like someone familiar. She would have thought that he was Marcos if she had not seen his face.“No, I just came to my boss’ office to have a seat. Gordan said that the sofa in his office is comfortable and perfect for lying down. He was right,” Gale said laughingly.Luke looked annoyed. It seemed that Gordan was a bad influence, so he should not let them get too close.Luca glanced at Gale and Luke before placing the documents on the desk.Luke said, “Don’t go. I’ll have a look right now.”He decided to pause the work at hand to read the documents Luca brought over.“Okay.” Luca nodded and sat on another sofa.She would not have noticed if Gale had not mentioned it, but the sofa was actually pretty comfortable.“So? It’s comfy, right? My boss knows what’s good,” Gales whispered.Luca laughed.Gale changed
”What’s with that look?” Luke closed the file and looked at her.He skimmed through all the documents without looking at them carefully.Luca was the one who sent them over, so there should not be a problem with them. As for the research funds, she could have as much as she wanted.“Mr. Crawford, I thought you didn’t like cheeky smiles?” Luca blinked. She knew that Luke would never be angry at her, but she said that on purpose to tease him.Luke folded his hands together and rubbed his chin. Was she teasing him?The audacity!He liked that look on her. She was the woman he loved, so he liked any look on her face.“I don’t like it on others, but I like your cheeky smile,” Luke teased her.Bianca used to blush whenever she got teased, and it was the same for Luca now.He watched Luca’s face turn red instantly.The smile on Luke’s thin lips made her heart beat even faster. His serious face alone was enough to make her fall for him, but the addition of such flirty words made her
Rhett would not dare to ask such questions. Therefore, he quickened his pace and caught up with Luca.Luca walked into the office and sat on the chair. She opened the documents and assigned tasks to Rhett."Please deliver these to the Finance Department. Mr. Crawford has already signed and approved them. The funds will be approved by them. As for these two, please hand them over to the Procurement Department. We’ll need some new equipment for our new research. Mr. Crawford has also approved it," Luca spoke non-stop. She knew that Luke had approved everything. It was unlikely that the other departments would disagree with it.Rhett nodded silently as he glanced at the documents.He also had a part in handling these documents. Hence, he easily remembered what Luca said.After Luca gave her instructions, she added, "I need to leave early today, and I’m probably not coming tomorrow. Please help me to request a day off."Luca planned to go back to the villa now and cook a meal for Wan
Wanda looked at the sumptuous meal in astonishment.Luca was good at baking cookies and making desserts. Wanda knew she was a good cook. However, she did not know Luca could prepare such a lavish spread of dishes.The caretaker beside Wanda could not help but swallow her saliva as she gazed at the dishes in the lunch boxes.She was not hungry at first, but her stomach eventually began to growl when she saw the dishes.She was hungry…"You made this?" Wanda could not hide the astonishment that laced her voice."Yes, but I'm not sure if it meets your preference.” Luca knew Wanda was surprised. She handed another lunch box to the caretaker and added, "I made too much. Mrs. Lane, would you like to have some too?"Luca remembered that Luke mentioned the caretaker Wanda hired was called Mrs. Lane.She was a highly regarded caretaker in the hospital. A patient from a VIP ward happened to be discharged from the hospital, and Mrs. Lane volunteered to be Wanda’s caretaker when she noti
After Wanda finished her meal, Luca did not stay in the ward any longer. Luca grabbed her bag and left. Feeling a bit hungry herself, she was eager to return home for a quick meal.On the other hand, Percy, Luke, Jim, Marcos, and Kastov gathered together. It was supposed to be a drinking session, but food was served. It was okay for them to skip dinner.After they clinked their glasses together, Marcos was the first to ask, "How is Mr. Pierre doing?""The doctor performed surgery on him. He's awake now and under medical care in the hospital ward," replied Percy.Pierre did not want to see him.Therefore, Percy left the hospital as soon as the nurse pushed Pierre back to the ward.Pierre did not speak to him either. Old Master Mallory sat there watching over Pierre all night.However, before Percy left, he arranged for two caretakers to take care of Pierre. There were still people taking care of him after Old Master Mallory left.Kastov took a sip of his drink. He did not kn
Percy frowned. He could not leave now.Even if he could, going to the hospital meant that Pierre would only become more agitated upon seeing him.Percy had no choice but to remind her: [Don't let him get out of bed. Don't let him hurt himself. Give him a tranquilizer if necessary.]Jim, noticing how promptly Percy was responding to his phone messages, teased him, "You've only been away for a short while. Nina already misses you so much?"Percy lifted his head with a helpless expression on his face."I've never seen such a helpless expression on Mr. Mallory’s face before. What happened?" Jim noticed the unusual look on his face and asked with concern.Pierre sighed and replied, "Pierre knows that his leg is injured. He's making a scene at the hospital."Jim was surprised. "Were you planning to hide his leg injury from him? He would eventually have to get out of bed and walk again. It's better to tell him the truth.""It was the old master’s idea." Percy knew that Pierre would no
The bed was soft. The head of the orthopedic department was not worried about Pierre banging his head when he fell.Only after Pierre collapsed did the caretakers dare to approach and tidy up the mess on the bed. They changed the pillow and the sheets for Pierre, replacing them with new ones.The head of the orthopedic department frowned as he looked at the sheets torn to shreds by Pierre.Fortunately, Pierre could not get out of bed now. Otherwise, they would all be in trouble. He was indeed ruthless."Sir, should we inform Dr. Park?" The nurse asked with concern. Pierre looked like he wanted to fight with Dr. Park just now!"What should we say? What can we say?" The head of the orthopedic department asked twice in a row. "It was already unconventional for Dr. Park to perform the surgery on him at our hospital. Plus, I can tell that he did his best during the surgery. The patient's treatment was delayed for too long, and no immediate action was taken when he was injured. It was
“Yes, Doctor. I’ve applied it.” Sunny treated the orthopedics doctor with respect.She did not behave arrogantly just because she was a relative of the director. Contrarily, she was quite approachable when working at the hospital.“You have to avoid him when he goes crazy. It’s not that bad this time, but if he throws something sharp next time, it'll ruin your face,” warned the orthopedics doctor.If Pierre was already acting like this right after the surgery, he could not imagine what he would be like once the effects of the tranquilizer wore off.Would he continue acting insane or would he calm down?The orthopedics doctor reckoned that Pierre would not be able to calm down.“Alright. Doctor, when will he be discharged?” Sunny sighed.The day Pierre was discharged from the hospital would be the end of their misery.“That depends on when the Mallory family will take him back. The earliest he can be discharged is when he gets a cast after the stitches are removed, and that woul
“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