Karen furrowed her brows. She was about to give Nina a hard time, but then she heard Percy say, "I can send you back to Mallory Manor now if youโre not going to bed."Karen frowned, about to explode in anger. Then, she heard him continue, "You went to the hospital to visit Pierre without informing Grandpa. You almost caused a disaster. Let him handle the rest."Karen understood what he meant. She gave a cold snort and said, "Stop threatening me."Then, she rose to her feet with her chin slightly lifted. She looked at Nina with an arrogant look on her face. "Take me upstairs."Nina glanced at Percy. Then, she turned around and led Karen upstairs.When they reached the door of the guest room, Nina stepped aside and said, "Madam Mallory, this is your room."Karen let out another cold snort and pushed the door open with her fingertips. She did not even want to touch the doorknob, as if it was dirty.Nina noticed her disdainful behavior but chose not to comment. At first, she wanted
The hospital director wore a gloomy expression as he followed behind the police officers.The technician led them to the floor of the VIP wards, drawing the attention of many as they passed by the wards.When they reached the door of Pierre's ward, the technician turned to the police and said, "This is the ward he was registered in.""Open the door," instructed one of the police officers with a cold and unfriendly look on his face.Ever since Pierre had gone on the run and disappeared, they had put in a lot of effort to find him. However, they had not found any leads. Their superiors had become increasingly dissatisfied with their efficiency. They had handed down the task documents numerous times both openly and behind the scenes.Still, Pierre was nowhere to be found.They would not have found their way here if it were not for an anonymous tip-off email!The technician immediately pushed the door open when he heard that.The police officers entered the ward. The lead officer g
If the old master did not take the sleeping pills, he would probably have a sleepless night. Old Master Mallory took the cup of tea that was handed to him. He took a sip of it. Right now, he lacked the appetite to enjoy even the finest tea."Now, which hospital is Pierre in?" asked Old Master Mallory. After learning of the tip-off yesterday, even though he did not do much, he had people keep a close watch on the matter throughout.Now, his men were keeping a vigilant eye on Pierre's and the police department's every move."He's at Central Hospital now," replied Mr. Bennet. He took the tea cup handed by Old Master Mallory, which he only took a few sips from. Most of the tea was still there.What a waste of such good tea."What about Karen?" Old Master Mallory asked again, knowing that Karen did not come back yesterday.Mr. Bennet hesitated for a moment, knowing that the old master was furious since he called Karen by her name. Karen did not listen to his advice. She kept going t
"How dare you kick me out?" Karen's eyes were burning with anger. She believed that Nina asked him to do it.She wished she could drag Nina out and throw her out of the Mallory family at the thought of this."It's Grandpa's wish." Percy's eyes were cold. "You haven't gone back the whole night. I don't have the medicine you need here. Thatโs why he sent the chauffeur here early in the morning."The chauffeur had been sent from Mallory Manor by Old Master Mallory to take Karen back."Very well, Percy. No matter what happens in the future, that woman will never step into the Mallory family!" Karen gave her statement, turned around, and left.Inside the villa, silence filled the air.Percy furrowed his brows tightly at the thought of his grandfather asking him to take Nina back for dinner tonight. Even though it might mean Old Master Mallory acknowledgement of Nina's identityโฆIt might also affect their relationship.Percy dialled his assistant's number. "Prepare two gifts for me."
Mo placed two cups of coffee and coffee creamer from the tray in front of both of them before leaving.After the door closed, Luca took a sip of her coffee before asking cautiously, โIt seems like something is bothering you. Did you not get enough sleep last night?โโYeah.โ Nina did not try to hide it as she told her about Karen staying over at Percyโs place.Luca frowned. โShe didnโt make things difficult for you, did she?โโNo, Iโve done my homework. She has to find excuses if she wants to make things difficult for me, butโฆโ Nina paused as she added creamer to the bitter coffee and took a sip. โBut Old Master Mallory sent a message this morning telling Percy to bring me to Mallory Manor for dinner.โAlthough she was married to Percy, she did not think she was associated with Mallory Manor in any way.Besides, none of them gave their blessings to her marriage with Percy.Luca silently held the coffee in her hand for a few seconds before setting it down on the table. โDo you kno
After the child stopped asking to go to the hospital, Luca left for the hospital right away without wasting any more time.After placing one of the flasks in Old Man Rayneโs ward, Luca sat there for a bit before going to Wandaโs ward. Finally, she went to Sarahโs ward.Sarahโs complexion had improved a lot since she met Marcos. She did not look as gloomy as before.After seeing Luca enter, she looked at her gratefully. She even tried to get out of bed. โMs. Luca, youโre here.โโMs. Poplar, donโt get down. Just sit down,โ Luca said quickly when she saw that Sarah was about to get out of bed to welcome her.Sarah nodded.Luca asked out of concern, โMs. Poplar, has the doctor made his rounds?โโHe came half an hour ago.โ Sarah nodded. The doctors here were responsible. They made their rounds once in the morning and once in the evening before they got off work.โMs. Luca, thanks to you, my life has been spared,โ said Sarah. She found out from the nurses that the doctor who performe
"Okay." Lanie's cool face lit up with a faint smile as he scampered upstairs."Don't run when youโre on the stairs. Be careful,โ warned Luca when she saw that.Even though Lanie had his own thoughts, he heeded Luca's advice and switched to walking. He gripped the staircase railing with his right hand."Ms. Luca, let's go wash our hands!" said Rainie with a bright smile on her face.Luca nodded and walked into the bathroom with Rainie. After they washed their hands, they saw Luke and Lanie coming downstairs together."Time for dinner." Luca turned to look at Luke, her eyes filled with tenderness."Yes." Luke nodded, and they all sat down at the dining table.Aunt Neile brought out a delicious spread of four dishes and a bowl of soup, which made for a very hearty meal.Everyone was happily enjoying their meal. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Mallory Manor was quite somber.Old Master Mallory sat in the living room, with Karen sitting on the sofa next to him. He was staring at her w
Her 20 years of hard work should not be undermined by that mistress at a time like this.Old Master Mallory noticed a change in Karen's expression in that instant and knew what he said had an effect. He turned to look at Mr. Bennet and asked, "How's the food coming along?"Mr. Bennet slightly bowed and replied in a low voice, "Sir, I'll go check on it now." Then, he turned around and headed to the kitchen.Karen shifted her eyes and pondered for a moment. Then, she said, "Father, Iโll listen to whatever you say about Pierre's matter. He's your grandson, after all. You wouldn't want to see him get into trouble. But when it comes to that woman, I won't listen to you."Old Master Mallory shot her a glance.Karen continued, "I don't care if you've changed your mind or what the purpose of this meal is. I won't agree to their marriage even if Percy has already registered their marriage. I won't acknowledge her as my daughter-in-law."Old Master Mallory remained silent.Karen looke
โAs long as he stays out of your sight, I wonโt make a move,โ said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Lukeโs 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.โAlright, Ray. Just let it go. Iโve moved on and started a new life. Plus, Iโm studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, weโll just be strangers. Thereโs no need to step in for me or act impulsively.โ Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.โIs it the clothes delivery?โ asked Ray.โNo, 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,โ Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.โMiss, is the boss alright?โ asked one of Rayโs subordinates.โHeโs fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, โCan you walk me through your plan?โโThe prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. Iโve 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 facilityโs underground pipes donโt 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.โThis whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why Iโm confident itโll work.โ As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. โHereโs 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 Abelโs people.โAbelโs 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 Gordanโs current behavior quite intriguing.โLuke, whatโs with that look?โ Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.โYou seem pretty concerned about Vivian,โ Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. โWhat? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, donโt say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.โLuke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. โWhy are you here?โโSpeaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.โ Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. โMan, Ray really didnโt hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.โLuke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. โUnlock it.โโAll set, boss.โ 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.Gordanโs furious curses rang out. โDamn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?โAnother 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.โEnough!โ shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.โVivian, stay out of this. Iโm beating him to a pulp today,โ growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.โRay, I donโt want to see him,โ 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.โFine. If you donโt want to see him, Iโll 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.โRay, this apple is really good. Want to try one?โ asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. โYou go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?โVivian nodded. โI only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.โRay walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.โYou didn't bring any food with you?โ asked Ray.โI havenโt 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.โ Vivianโs tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.โThat's true.โ Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. โAlright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, weโll still need your help.โโFor toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Donโt worry, if I can help, I definitely will,โ Luca assured him.โAlright, thank you.โ Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, โIf Vivian was really poisoned, donโt 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 didnโt take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If itโs something she can fix, sheโll do everything she can.โBesides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?โโYes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. โMs. Sanchez, what's wrong?โHe 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. โI thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And youโre acting all deferential to her over this?โGerald was rendered speechless. โI knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand Iโm used to. Maybe itโs not expensive to you, but for me, itโs what I can afford.โRealizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. โStill, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?โโItโs not about the money,โ replied Gerald. โIt'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.โHe was ba
Lucaโs lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Lukeโs 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.โฆThe two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, โHello, Mr. Crawford.โโVivian, donโt worry. Everything will get better,โ replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Lucaโs 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, โVivian, theyโre your friends. You donโt have to act this way around them. They wonโt judge you.โโI know they wonโtโฆโ Vivian let out a soft sigh. โI just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didnโt want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But itโ
โI once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivianโs. 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.โCould it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.โโIf she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?โ asked Ray.Luca shook her head.โThe poison Iโve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victimโs skin dark. I donโt 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 canโt be sure whatโs really causing Vivianโs condition.โIs her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a