"Three days. Well, that's not too bad, not too long," replied Nina, already calculating in her mind that when they were on a business trip, she would have to go back to her own place. After all, the master's family was not around, and it would not be appropriate for her to stay here."Yes, there's one more thing I'd like to ask of you," added Luca."What is it?" Nina looked at her with curiosity, unsure of how she could help Luca."I was wondering if you could take care of the kids for these three days," Luca stated her request. Worried that Nina would reject her, she added, "The kids are well-behaved, and they have a certain routine, so you won't need to do much. Just having an adult around in the evenings for safety would be great."Luca agreed to Luke's request not only to avoid troubling Old Master Crawford but also because it gave Nina a reason to stay here. After all, Percy would not be back in A City for several more days. If she went back now, Karen might come looking f
Therefore, there really was not any mountainous area left undeveloped with the herbs Shanks needed.Luca glanced at Warren, who was sitting in the driver's seat. She had initially wanted to talk to Luke about this matter, but in the end, she decided not to.Warren drove steadily, and the road was not too bumpy. After Luca put away her tablet, a wave of drowsiness hit her. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes and leaned against the car window, dozing off.Luke was reading documents. When he looked up at Luca, she was already intermittently nodding off.When he saw her in such a state, he shook his head helplessly and rested Luca's head on his shoulder.With a gentle movement, Luca leaned on his shoulder without waking up and even found a comfortable position on his shoulder."Drive slower, and turn up the air conditioning a bit," instructed Luke."Yes, sir." Warren heard him and slowed down the car even more, making the ride smoother. At the same time, he adjusted the temperature o
"But these are all the chef's secret recipes," replied Luca. Even though it was true that money could make many people sell their secrets. Moreover, if Mr. Muller asked for it, it would be awkward for them not to share.However, this seemed to imply causing trouble for others."It's okay, Ms. Craw. Actually, these are just specialty dishes. There's no such thing as secret or not secret. It's just a recipe. You just need to ask the chef for the proportions of the various seasonings since you like this taste," Mr. Muller knew what Luca was thinking and added, "Besides, you can find recipes for these dishes online."When Luca heard him say that, she nodded and said nothing more.Luke was right. The kids would surely enjoy what Luca liked to eat.If Aunt Neile learned the recipes, she could make these dishes for the kids in the future.It was a good thing…After lunch, Warren took the initiative to leave as he did not want to disturb them. Luca also headed upstairs. She felt a b
Luca thought she had touched something else and touched again, confirming it was not Luke's waist. She slowly opened her eyes, and at the same time, Luke's voice that was full of magnetism sounded in her ears. "You’re awake?""Yes." Luca looked up and found Luke working.However, her hand was not on Luke's thigh. It was on his calf.Now, the man was leaning against the headboard of the bed with a laptop on his thigh. He was dealing with work emails."Didn't you rest?" Luca asked, realizing that her question was meaningless.Normally, he would shorten his rest time at night and work whenever he had a break. How could he possibly nap with her?Luke must have started working after she fell asleep.Luca did not expect to have a deep sleep. Luke's keyboard typing did not wake her up."No, I couldn't sleep, so I decided to work. Did I disturb you?" asked Luke. Even though the laptop keyboard was quite silent, there might still be some noise."No, I've had enough sleep." Luca yawned,
"Alright." Luke did not decline her invitation. He carried his laptop off the bed and settled onto the wicker sofa.There was a coffee table in front of him, so he placed the laptop on it. After a moment's thought, he decided to sit on the carpet."Hmm?" Luca was somewhat puzzled by his actions."It's more convenient this way." Luke gestured with his hand to indicate the height of the laptop.If he sat on the floor, he did not have to lower his head too much, making it easier for him to work."Yes, that’s true." Luca glanced at him and placed a cushion behind his back. "This should be more comfortable.""Yes, it is,” replied Luke. He saw that Luca had already poured a cup of coffee. He reached out, thinking of grabbing it. Luca placed a piece of fruit near his lips."Have some fruit first to boost your vitamins.” Luca smiled.Luke did not like eating fruits, but Luca's offering was an exception. He opened his mouth, and Luca fed him the fruit.Luke savored it.The fruits pr
As Luca and Luke delved into the discussion, her curiosity got the better of her. She could not help but want to probe for more details. Luke, however, shook his head, and said, "The one pulling the strings wasn’t Evan." "Not him?" Luca's curiosity intensified. If it was not Evan, then who could it be? Her eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity. "Shireen has a childhood friend, but they lost touch in middle school..." Luke came across this information when he was investigating Evan. He had not dug into Shireen's past. "Then?" Luca heard him and began to form a rough picture in her mind. Perhaps it unfolded just as she suspected... Luke explained, "I'm not sure about the details that followed. All I know is that the person obstructing Shireen's job search is her childhood friend." With a gentle lift of his hand, he lightly brushed Luca's nose. Luca initially thought Luke had more information, but it turned out to be just this."I think I've got the gist of it
Big bad wolf, huh? His favorite was definitely the little bunny.Luke wore a confident smile and then continued with his work.After calming down in the bathroom for a while, Luca washed her face and walked out of the bathroom. While Luke watched her, she opened her luggage, found a dress, and then walked back into the bathroom to change.The moment the bathroom door closed, she heard Luke's voice, "Actually, it’s okay to change here, because we're going out for dinner later, and I can't do anything to you."Luca's face turned red at once. "No."After that, she closed the door and recalled Luke's teasing voice. She locked the door, changed out of her wrinkled clothes, and put on the dress.She knew what the dinner tonight meant, so she chose an appropriate outfit that would not embarrass Luke.After changing into the dress, she splashed some cold water on her face.Then, she examined herself in the mirror carefully. She had slept well last night, so there were no dark circles,
Luca nodded and then left with him.While Luca was changing her clothes, Luke already notified Warren. When the two of them arrived downstairs, Warren was already waiting in the parking lot.After both of them got into the car, Luke said to Warren, "Head to the hotel we booked.""Yes, sir." Warren drove away.The restaurant was not far from the villa. It took Warren five minutes to arrive at the restaurant's entrance.Luke said to Luca, "We're here. Let’s go.""Okay." Luca nodded and got out of the car with him.After getting out of the car, she heard him say, "Mr. Mullen invited the chef of this restaurant to cook for us at the Crawfords' ancestral home."Luca nodded, wondering if Luke had made the arrangements for this restaurant at the last minute.If it was arranged last minute, it was probably because he knew she liked the chef's cooking.The two of them entered the restaurant and were guided by a waitress into a private room.The room was not large, but it was elegantl
When Gerald heard this, his face fell. “Huh? Ms. Craw, you're not cooking anymore?”Luca said nothing. Luke had already left with the others. She turned her gaze back before walking inside.Gerald realized that Luca had only been cooking breakfast because of Lucius. The thought puzzled him. Had they taken a liking to each other from the very start? That did not seem right.In this fast-paced modern world, even if they had, using something as old-fashioned as cooking to win someone over did not add up.Still, the timing was too coincidental to ignore. Luca started cooking for everyone when Lucius arrived, and she stopped as soon as he left. That realization gave Gerald an eerie feeling.Thinking they might have known each other back on the island, it all suddenly made sense. Of course! They must have met before. How else could this all line up so perfectly?With that thought, Gerald quickly caught up with Luca. “Ms. Craw, my cooking is terrible. Why don’t you keep doing it?”
Kassy’s eye donor was Hera, the one Abel had brought over.Even though Hera’s eyes resembled Kassy’s, they did not meet the criteria for a transplant. However, Hera’s blood type matched Kassy’s exactly.Hence, Abel decided to use Hera’s eyes. His belief was that her eyes were specifically meant for Kassy.Shanks knew he would not be able to change Abel’s mind, so he did not try. Abel’s stubbornness was something even Kassy herself could not sway.Luca remained silent for a while, not saying anything further. She understood that using a cadaver was the best option as it would not harm anyone.However, the eyes Abel wanted for Kassy were not from a cadaver. He intended to take them from Hera.Luca certainly would not participate in such a surgery. It was too cruel.“What are you thinking?” Shanks suddenly asked.Luca shook her head. “I’m just thinking about the volunteer’s situation.”“You’re wondering if this solution will be marketed, aren’t you?” Shanks suddenly asked.L
“I’m still a bit worried. Let me take a look in your room and change the dressing while I’m at it.” Luca knew Luke would not want her to worry. Therefore, she needed to see for herself that everything was fine before she could feel at ease.“Alright.” Luke knew she was worried about him, so the two of them headed into the room.He took off his shirt, revealing the bandage wrapped around his torso.Luca could not help but chuckle at the sight. The wrapping was done by Gerald, and it was hilariously sloppy. It was haphazardly bound—overly tight in some places and entirely uneven. It looked like it was just meant to cover the wounds, with no thought for neatness.“Stop laughing.” Luke was clearly rendered speechless by Gerald’s lackluster bandaging skills as well.If it were not for the fact that it was difficult to bandage himself, he would never have let Gerald do it.“With it wrapped like this, how are you supposed to sleep at night?” Luca asked as she began unwrapping the ba
Abel chuckled. His voice was low and gravelly.“Hera, let’s agree on something. Don’t use threats of leaving to manipulate me anymore, or I won’t be happy,” said Abel in a low voice.What might have sounded like a plea or a compromise came across to Hera as a veiled threat.The cool sensation of his fingers brushed against her eyelids, and she could not help but shiver. His touch felt as cold as death itself. She could not feel a trace of warmth.Her hands clenched tightly together. The tension in her grip was the only thing keeping her from trembling further.“Alright,” Hera murmured obediently.Abel withdrew his hand. Hera opened her eyes. A strange unease stirred within her. For reasons she could not quite explain, Abel’s behavior filled her with an unsettling dread…“Will you stay at the hospital with me tonight?” Hera could not help but crave some semblance of comfort.Abel frowned slightly. “Stay here with you? And what about Luca?”“You could just send her home. I onl
Luca's expression was serious, and Hera realized she was not just trying to scare her. Ignoring her warnings had already caused her to suffer once.Unwillingly, Hera sipped on the cereal. Her resentment was evident in every movement.Luca noticed it was not difficult for her to handle. She quietly sat down and ate her own bowl of cereal.Hera did not have much of an appetite.Hera took a couple of bites before growing bored. She glanced at Luca and asked, “How did you end up working for Abel?”Luca did not respond. She calmly blew on her cereal and ate in silence, showing no intention of engaging in conversation.“I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?” snapped Hera.Luca lifted her gaze briefly and replied, “You should finish your cereal before it gets cold.”“I’m not even hungry.” Hera really had no appetite and was not planning to eat the cereal.“It’s still better if you eat something. Otherwise, when hunger strikes later, don’t expect me to help you,” said Luca, “I’m only he
Luke had never taken the medicine that could speed up healing, so his recovery was nowhere near as fast as the others from the Island of Despair.Luca did not respond to Gerald’s comment. Her gaze fixed on him with intensity.“No stitches,” said Luke, “I trust you.”Luca bit her lower lip.“But if you don’t stitch it, it might tear open,” insisted Gerald, staring at Luke’s wounds.Luke glanced at his injuries and shrugged, seemingly unconcerned, as though the wounds had nothing to do with Luca.“Stitches will leave scars.”“Are you afraid of scars? What kind of man doesn’t have a few scars on him? Scars are a symbol of manhood,” teased Gerald with a playful tone, “Scars show you’re reliable, that you can protect a woman.”Luke gave him a look as though he were an idiot, then his gaze shifted to Luca. “I don’t want too many scars. I’m worried my future wife might dislike them.”Luca’s heart sank at his words, but his lighthearted remark eased her sadness. Despite the severity
Luca could not help but tremble with heartache. She fought hard to resist the urge to rush forward.Everyone in the room had survived brutal training to make it out of the Island of Despair, and they could not help but shudder when they saw the scene. The sound of the whip felt like it was landing on their own bodies.Gerald closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer. It was too cruel for him to watch.The ten lashes felt like an eternity, stretching on for what seemed like a century.Luca looked at the drenched clothes on Luke. His eyes were red, and his shirt was so soaked that you could wring out the blood from it. Her hands were clenched so tightly into fists that the veins were bulging.Abel tossed the whip aside, looking at Luke’s disheveled state with satisfaction. He enjoyed the thrill of this bloody scene.He turned to Luca, noticing her reddened eyes, and smiled even more devilishly. “Hera is in the hospital now. You’ll go take care of her for the next few da
Luca instantly understood the situation. It was about Hera.Hera was someone Abel valued, possibly as a future corneal donor for Kassy. While Abel might not love Hera now, he certainly took her health seriously.In a calm tone, Luca explained, “She was hospitalized due to inflammation that caused a fever.”Abel furiously flung his half-smoked cigar at her. The glowing embers singed her clothes, leaving a small burn mark.She instinctively stepped aside.Abel roared, “What kind of care is this?! I told you to look after her! Is this how you handle things?”Luca was perplexed. When did he ever tell her to look after Hera?Besides, she did take care of her.”When Ms. Sanchez fainted last night, she already had a low-grade fever. I diagnosed her condition as inflammation and prescribed anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing medication. I also emphasized that she needed to take oral anti-inflammatory drugs. She didn’t trust me and threw out Mr. Shanks’ medication, which led to her con
Luca placed her hand on Hera’s other wrist, checking her pulse. “Her condition is worsening. The inflammation in her body has intensified.“I prescribed her medication. Those are Mr. Shanks’ formulations, and they're highly effective for reducing inflammation. It shouldn’t be getting worse.” Gerald pursed his lips before finally speaking up. “Luca, when I was cleaning yesterday, I saw that Ms. Sanchez had thrown all the medication you prescribed into the trash. She didn’t take any of it.”Luca was speechless.She had been questioning whether the medicine was ineffective or if she had made an error in diagnosis. It turned out that it was Hera herself who had sabotaged her treatment.“What should we do now?” asked Gerald.“There’s no other option. She needs to go to a hospital,” Luca decided firmly. “Her condition is serious, and since she doesn’t trust my treatment, the hospital is her best choice.”“Can’t you help her just this once?” pleaded Gerald, “I mean, she looks really b