Tommy heard it and immediately exclaimed, "Ah!" He sounded a little annoyed."Rainie, why didn't you tell me last night? I want to sleep with Mo—Ms. Luca too!" He almost blurted out the word 'Mom'. He patted his chest and let out a quiet sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around.Fortunately, no one heard him. It seemed that what their mother said yesterday made sense. They needed to be cautious."You almost said it out again." Rainie heard it clearly. "We need to be more careful."Tommy stuck out his tongue and replied, "I got it, Rainie. I'm really jealous of you. You're Daddy’s only biological child, aren’t you?""What nonsense!" Rainie laughed, hugging a pillow as she walked back to her room."Daddy allowed you to sleep with them, but he never lets me sleep with Ms. Luca," grumbled Tommy, following her like a little duckling.Even though he was a boy, he had always been a mama’s boy since he was little.However, their father always told him that he could not keep cl
“I see. Will it be in the same school?” Luca asked as Lanie and Rainie’s current school had elementary, middle, and high schools.“Yes. That way, it’ll be more convenient for Zander to send them and pick them up.” Luke nodded. Although the elementary school was a little far from the middle school, it was closer compared to other schools. Plus, they had good teachers, so Luke had no intention of having Lanie change schools.Although it was a huge leap for Lanie to skip to ninth grade, Luca thought that it would not be that big of a deal for him because of his learning abilities.Thus, she kept quiet as Luke had always wanted the best for the children.Aunt Neile was tidying up the dishes when she said, “Young Master Blanche is a fast learner, and he’s very smart, so it’s good for him to skip to ninth grade. That way, he can graduate college earlier and help Mr. Crawford at work.”Luca nodded as what Aunt Neile said was right.Although she hoped that the children could grow up ca
”It seems like Luke has been treating that piece of trash like a king. How could he let him stay at a five-star hotel…” Karen’s voice sounded bitter as she instantly ordered people to capture him.After what happened, she had someone investigate the man.That guy had a decent education, but because of the Ruiz family, he had trouble building a life of his own as all he could get were low-paying jobs. After he got married, his wife even ran off with another man because of his dead-end job.He led a miserable life. Like an ant on the ground, anyone could step all over him.That was the same person who made her fall from grace!After giving out orders, she quickly got out of bed and freshened up.Did he think that she was the same woman she was before? No one could mess with her now!Karen secretly swore that she would make his life a living hell and make him regret ever messing with her just because of money!Hatred bloomed in her heart as she blamed every inconvenience in her li
Hearing the manager say that, the attendant who initially considered calling the police had second thoughts. After all, guests staying in their rooms had to cough up a hefty deposit, and once their expenses ran dry, they would be notified to replenish the deposit.Therefore, when that guy got taken away, the hotel would not lose any money."If that guy doesn't come back by tomorrow, just go ahead and check him out," instructed the manager."Yes, sir." The attendant nodded, jotting down the manager's words.…After being forcibly placed in the car, Silas was terrified. He was sandwiched between two men in the back seat. There were also people in the driver's and passenger seats, but he did not recognize any of them. Silas was utterly horrified. He never expected his first time riding in a luxury car to turn out like this. He even forgot to scream.Moreover, the car had excellent soundproofing. He knew even if he screamed, no one would come to his rescue. Silas regretted not
He was asking for trouble, but it was none of their business. However, they had to make sure the boss saw them bringing the man back!In the living room, Karen was sitting on the couch. Her face was full of gloom while she waited for her subordinates to bring Silas over.When she heard footsteps coming from the entrance, she knew that person had arrived. Karen lifted her eyes slightly and shot a meaningful look at her subordinate. Upon seeing it, they nodded in acknowledgment. The subordinate walked to the entrance and sent Silas sprawling as he walked in. It was a swift kick that left him on the floor.The two men behind Silas were startled by this action.This man was their boss. He took orders directly from Karen. Even though their investigative skills were not top-notch, their combat abilities were off the charts. A single forceful kick and Silas found himself sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain on the ground."What the hell are you doing?" Silas felt a dizzy spell. H
However, the Karen in front of him was nothing like the old Karen. She narrowed her eyes and smirked coldly, "Silas Gray, you really can do anything for money, huh..."Silas let out a cold shiver. That malicious tone of hers was like an invisible knife held at his throat. He realized Karen no longer had the feelings she once had for him. Not only did she lack any sentiment, but she also seemed inclined to end his life!Pain and fear washed over Silas… He recalled the days when the Ruiz family forced him to stay away from A City. He could not help but shudder. He learned that one should never offend the Ruiz family. That was when he grasped this particular life lesson.During that time, the Ruiz family wielded significant influence and power. It was way beyond the reach of someone like him, a regular civilian.Years had passed, and he truly had no money left. He was so poor that he could not even afford a meal. That was why he did not hesitate and agreed directly when those peop
The man understood Karen's urgency but still shook his head helplessly. If she were to go to Luke without any other evidence, would he really admit it? Even if Luke did do it, he probably would not foolishly confess without sufficient proof pointing to him, right? After all, admitting it would affect the relationship between the Mallory and Crawford families…Moreover, Luke must have sharp tactics and a top-notch level of mental toughness to be able to hold his ground at T Corporation.However, Karen could not wait, and she was not interested in what others had to say.The man turned to his two subordinates and said, "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him escape or drop dead."He was such a weak man. A small touch and he would hit the ground. They were genuinely afraid he might suddenly kick the bucket.They usually avoided vital areas during a beating to make the victims more resilient. That way, they were less likely to get into trouble when dealing with such people."Got it,"
Karen narrowed her eyes. "So you're saying that I have to provide evidence?""Whatever crime it is, there must be proof, right? With just this recording, how am I supposed to question Luke? Besides, Luke is too busy for these little tricks. I believe he's innocent. This man might be intentionally framing him," said Old Master Mallory as he let out a yawn.Being old, he had a habit of taking a nap. Being woken up like this made him feel very tired.Karen's face turned pale. "Fine, just you wait. I'll go get the bank transaction records now. We'll settle this based on evidence!"She refused to believe that even with the evidence laid out in front of him, Old Master Mallory would still side with Luke.Karen left in a huff.Old Master Mallory let out another yawn, and Mr. Griffin reminded him, "Sir, you should rest for a while."Old Master Mallory thought it was a good idea. He got up with his cane, but just as he was about to head to the bedroom, he stopped to remind Mr. Griffin, "
“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