Seeing how Lanie interrupted her, Luca reckoned that Luke had told the kids something.Was he trying to hide the fact that he was going to the hospital?Before Luca could voice her doubts, Aunt Neile seemed to have just remembered something. She nodded and quickly said, “Yes, Mr. Crawford is at the company. He’ll be working until late at night today, so he won’t be back for dinner. Ms. Craw, why don’t you have dinner first?”“Okay.” She nodded without questioning further.Even if the children were deliberately hiding it from her, there was nothing she could do. Besides, she would feel bad exposing the children’s lies.“Let’s eat, then. Young Master Blanche, Young Master Tommy, and Ms. Rainie, go wash your hands.” After saying that, Aunt Neile turned to walk into the kitchen to prepare the food.Luca followed Aunt Neile into the kitchen to help.“Aunt Neile, are you hiding something?” Luca asked.Aunt Neile was startled. Then, she smiled and shook her head. “Ms. Craw, I’m not hi
"I didn't know about such a rule. I’m sorry. I didn't inform Mrs. Norman in advance either. Maybe we should forget about it. It’d be better not to disturb her." Luca shook her head.The nurse looked puzzled. "Most patients are still wide awake at this hour.""I just wanted to ask about Mrs. Norman's recent health condition." Luca wanted to get some information about Queenie's health from the nurse. Even though Wanda was also at the hospital, cardiovascular diseases were known for their sudden and rapid lethality. If Queenie's condition could not be stabilized, it would be the most critical situation.The nurse looked at her with a confused look on her face. She shook her head after a few seconds of silence."This is…" Luca did not understand what this meant. She was eager to know what had happened to Queenie."I don't know. Due to Mrs. Norman’s special status, the hospital is worried that we might leak information to the press, so at Mr. Norman's request, none of us nurses know
After Luca took the elevator down to the first floor, her mind went blank as she walked back to her car. When she tried to start the car engine, she realized that her strength had been completely drained. She leaned against the driver's seat for a while. The dull pain in her heart still would not go away.She knew that she could not drive in this condition. Luca pursed her pale lips and picked up her phone to request a designated driver through an app. Ten minutes later, the designated driver arrived at the hospital parking lot driving an electric scooter. After finding Luca based on her car's license plate, he lightly tapped the driver's side door. He asked, "Miss, did you request a designated driver?""Yes," answered Luca. She still could not recover her strength, and the waves of pain continued to plague her. Even though she tried to calm herself down, that unsettling feeling persisted.Luca took a deep breath and mustered all her strength to push open the car door. She l
"Don't worry about me. I'm familiar with this place. Rest well." Nina tucked her in and placed her phone on the bedside. "If you need anything, give me a call. I'll be outside. I’m leaving the phone right beside the bed, so you can reach it easily.""Thank you." Luca closed her eyes. Her hands under the blanket remained clenched.Nina shook her head in helplessness when she saw how weak Luca was, wondering what had happened to make her like this. If Luca had not assured her that she was physically fine, Nina would have probably called an ambulance for her by now.Nina noticed that Luca had closed her eyes, so she turned and walked out of the bedroom. She closed the door behind her. She went to the guest room, glanced at the missing toiletries, then headed downstairs to the storage room to find some new ones.Before she could enter the storage room, she heard footsteps behind her. Nina turned around and saw that Luke was back. She furrowed her brows, feeling a bit annoyed.Sh
After being embraced by Luke, a rush of warmth gradually spread from behind and enveloped her whole body. As Luca's heart found solace, her cold hands and feet grew considerably warmer. She could not tell if it was the presence of Luke behind her that made her feel at ease, or if it was the effect of melatonin. In his embrace, she slowly drifted into a dream.As he listened to Luca's steady breathing, Luke was unusually sleepless. He was still thinking about what he had done last night, wondering if he had done something wrong to make Luca so upset. He truly wished to keep her carefree, happy, and content.Luke snuggled closer to Luca, who seemed to possess a magical effect. Just being near her allowed him to find peace and sleep soundly. However, given the current situation, tonight was sure to be a sleepless night……The following day, Luca woke up and blinked her eyes. It was only then that she realized she had fallen asleep last night. She thought she would have a s
"Yes, I know," Luca murmured against his chest, her voice muffled. She had not made up her mind yet, so she did not plan on saying anything. She just wanted to hug him and breathe in his familiar scent.Luke Crawford was the man she loved the most...Luke waited for a while but did not hear Luca continue. He knew she still had not made up her mind to speak. His chest was a tumultuous mix, brimming with warmth but also a profound sense of helplessness toward Luca.She still could not bring herself to say it at this moment. Luke had no choice but to give her some more time."Hmm, it's getting late. I need to go to work." Luca felt her strength returning to her body and slowly raised her head, looking at the man's resolute jawline. "Okay, come back early tonight if possible. I promised the kids we'd go out for dinner," replied Luke.Luca wanted to agree immediately, but she frowned at the thought of the recent rumors. This scandal had shaken Wanda and Queenie. She did not hav
After her training in the Island of Despair and studying medicine for over two years, Luca had developed a skill. She could estimate the weight of anything that was in her hands.Shanks had mentioned before that to be a good pharmacist, one had to be sensitive to the weight of things. In order to achieve that, Shanks specifically asked her to train for two months to master that skill.After seasoning the minced meat, she passed it to Aunt Neile.“Ms. Craw, that’s very impressive.” Aunt Neile praised before wrapping the meat in plastic wrap and putting it in the fridge.“Aunt Neile, you can go back early,” Luca told Aunt Neile after washing her hands. She walked out of the kitchen with a plate of washed fruits.When she got to the living room, she heard Lanie say, “Ms. Luca, I’m done with my homework.”He was slightly smarter than Rainie, and the homework was fairly easy for him, so he would usually be the first to finish it. Today, he finished it even faster because they were goi
Tommy’s chubby smile instantly dropped.He did not want to practice his handwriting!However, he could not refuse Luca’s request. It was usually Luke’s sternness that would make him compromise, but Luca’s gentleness also made it hard for him to say no.“Alright, let’s start tomorrow.” Tommy remembered that he still had many books on his bookshelf that Old Master Crawford gifted him back then. It was the same for his siblings.At that time, the kids were not told to practice, so other than Rainie, Tommy and Lanie had never touched those books.Now, Tommy suspected that his mom and his great-grandpa schemed this together. Why else would he be gifted those books for practicing handwriting? After pondering for a moment, he was about to say that he did not have the suitable materials.“Tommy still has many empty copybooks,” said Lanie.Tommy’s eyes widened. Of course, his brother would say that!Luca smiled upon hearing that and said, “Great, we don’t have to buy any, then. Let’s
Hera suddenly lost her interest when she heard what he said.“You’re the kind of person with no faith or dreams,” replied Hera.Gerald chuckled and asked, “Then what’s your dream, Ms. Sanchez?”“Me? It’s simple. I want to make lots and lots of money,” Hera answered without hesitation.She did not think it was embarrassing at all. Making money was not a crime or something shameful. There was nothing wrong with saying it out loud.Gerald nodded. “So that’s why you chose to be with the boss?”“Your boss is rich.” Hera narrowed her eyes. “Since you’ve done so much for me, I’ll do you a favor.”“A favor?” Gerald raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant.“I have your boss’ black card now. What luxury item do you want? I can buy you something. Just keep working hard for me in the future.” Hera believed that money could solve everything.Gerald froze for a moment, his lips twitching. “Ms. Sanchez, even if you hate me, you don’t have to set me up like this.”Hera blinked. “I’m not
“Alright.” Ray nodded and put the phone case on to protect the device.Gale glanced at Vivian, who was sitting on the couch. She did not say a word. She looked like an empty shell, completely indifferent to everything. It was as though she was trapped in her own sorrowful world.“Well, I should leave now,” said Gale.“Okay, let me see you off.” Ray nodded, then called out, “Vivian?”Vivian came back to her senses and turned to look at him. “Huh?”“Mr. Gale is leaving,” added Ray.Vivian nodded before turning to Gale. “Goodbye, Mr. Gale.”“Goodbye, Ms. Vivian.” Gale stepped out the door and noticed Ray was about to walk him out. He quickly waved him off. “Mr. Ray, no need to see me off.”“Alright, take care on your way back.” Ray nodded. He did not feel comfortable leaving Vivian alone in the suite anyway.She was in bad shape right now.After Gale left, Ray shut the door and walked over to her.Vivian was still staring blankly into space.“Vivian,” Ray called in a low voice
Luca deliberately cracked her knuckles, making a loud 'pop' sound.Gerald immediately shrank back, pulling his neck in.“Ms. Craw, I’m sorry! I was being nosy. Please don’t be mad. I’ll just go take a nap,” he quickly apologized.“Hold on.” Luca stopped him.“What is it?” Gerald looked at her in confusion.“Do you know how to remove an IV yet?” asked Luca.“I’ve seen it done a lot, but I haven’t actually tried it myself.” A glint of eagerness flashed in Gerald’s eyes. “Ms. Craw, are you asking me to give it a shot?”“Do you want to try?” asked Luca.“Yes!” Gerald nodded enthusiastically. “I may not be a medical genius, but I can at least do something useful.”“Come with me. Let’s start with changing the IV bag,” instructed Luca.Gerald followed her, and under her guidance, he clumsily went through the steps but managed to replace the IV bag successfully.“This is so cool! I think I could totally be a nurse.” Gerald flashed a victory sign. “What do you think? Would I make a g
“Yeah, something came up with my family, so they got delayed. They just brought me my meal,” answered the volunteer.Luca glanced at his food, which consisted of meat and vegetables. It was clear that his family treated him very well.“That’s quite a feast,” remarked Luca.“Heh, they know I need the nutrition, so they always give me this much. Ms. Craw, have you eaten yet?” the volunteer asked cheerfully. Now that his health was improving, his appetite had returned, and his mood was much better too.“I have. You should eat more. I just came in to check how much IV fluid is left. There’s still quite a bit, so I think it won't be done before the guys are done eating," replied Luca.The volunteer chuckled. “They eat fast. You guys are amazing, taking such good care of me. I haven’t suffered at all since being here.”“Your recovery is our biggest wish,” replied Luca.“Mm, I’ll definitely cooperate with the treatment,” replied the volunteer.“Alright, I’ll get back to work. Enjoy yo
Abel's hand paused for a moment before he continued stroking her eyelids.“What’s wrong?” His voice was eerily low, carrying a chilling edge.Hera could not see his expression, but just the sound of his voice was enough to send shivers down her spine.“Thank you.” Hera forced herself to smile, summoning what little courage she had.“No need for thanks. Just be good from now on.” Abel’s fingers continued their slow, deliberate caress. It was like he was handling a priceless treasure.Hera remained still, letting him touch her without protest. More than anything, she did not dare to speak. She was terrified that if she broke the moment and interrupted whatever was going through his mind, he would be displeased.At that moment, Luca brought the food to the table and asked, “Mr. Abel, Ms. Sanchez, lunch is ready. Would you prefer to eat here or in your room?”“I’ll go with whatever my baby wants.” Hera smiled sweetly, masking her fear behind a bright smile. For some reason, she ha
“I’m just making plans with a friend. No need to go into all that, right?” As Luca said, she lifted her gaze to meet Shanks.His eyes were as deep as the ocean, and in that split second of eye contact, she felt like she was being pulled in. She suddenly felt like she had just exposed herself.Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and said, “Mr. Shanks, I’ll head downstairs to make lunch.”Shanks did not call her out on it, nor did he press further. He simply returned to his experiment.Downstairs, Luca saw Abel sitting on the living room couch. Ignoring him was not an option.Luca greeted him politely, “Mr. Abel.”Abel took a slow drag from his cigar, his blue eyes scanning her from head to toe. He was deep in thought.He remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. His dark and brooding expression sent a chill down Luca’s spine. Without saying a word, she turned around and walked straight into the kitchen.Gerald was already inside.When he saw her, he mouthed, “You’re here?”Luc
If Shanks’ prescription could help Hera sleep earlier, that would not be a bad thing.“Then I need to be treat…” Hera paused for a moment, realizing she could not say the word treatment. That would imply she was sick, and she could not let people know that. Instead, she corrected herself and asked, “How long will I need to take this herbal medicine?”“You can stop when your test results are back to normal,” replied Luca as she picked up the medical waste and headed out of the room.Gerald followed closely behind and asked with curiosity, “Ms. Craw, how long is that?”“How long is a standard treatment cycle?” Luca asked in return.Gerald pondered for a moment. “Usually about a month?”“The average endocrine cycle for women is three months, so the minimum duration for proper regulation is three months,” explained Luca.Although Abel could take action at any time, there was no way Hera could endure three full months of treatment. However, until Abel made his move, she would have
Luca’s head was slightly tilted, her cheek burning with pain.Abel had not held back at all. The force of his slap was merciless. A numbness spread across her face at an alarming speed.From the next room, someone peeked out again and asked in a low voice, “You okay?”“I’m fine.” Luca’s expression remained calm. This kind of injury was nothing to her.Back on the Island of Despair, she had endured far worse during training. She survived, did she not?Without another word, Luca pushed open the lab door and stepped inside.The man watching shook his head. Her face was already that swollen, and she still said she was fine… What a tough woman. She took a slap that hard and brushed it off like it was nothing.Shanks lifted his head when he heard the door open. When he saw it was Luca and noticed how swollen the side of her face was, his brows furrowed.“Abel did this?”“Who else?” Luca let out a bitter laugh, only to wince as the movement tugged at the pain. She sucked in a sharp b
“No.” Shanks’ tone was cold and firm with no trace of hesitation.Abel still looked doubtful.Shanks added, “Would you like to see her medical report?”Abel was startled for a moment. How did Shanks know he had been thinking about that report?Now that Shanks brought it up, the idea lost its appeal.Abel shook his head. “Even if you showed it to me, I wouldn’t understand it. Shanks, Kassy’s life is in your hands. If you can give her a second chance, I’ll provide as much research funding as you need."Shanks remained silent. He could save Kassy. In fact, his research had always been for Kassy.However, he did not expect Abel to be so ruthless as to insist on using a living person as a donor for Kassy. That was something he could not accept.Kassy’s condition could be treated with organs from a brain-dead patient. Why destroy a perfectly healthy life?Shanks was not acting out of mercy. He simply refused to go against his medical ethics.He was not someone who had to save lives