As Luca listened to Luke, who sat beside her, she unconsciously furrowed her brows. Luke was quite adept. When he chose to speak, every word seemed to strike at Sarah's heartstrings. She knew he was pushing Sarah to reveal what she knew. It was not for their benefit but for the relevant authorities' benefit.That was the real way to help Marcos."I understand..." Despite Luke's words, Sarah did not seem to blame him for meddling.After all, this was all for Marcos' good."Ms. Poplar, let me say one last thing. Marcos is no longer a child. He has the ability to protect himself and those he cares about. So, you should trust him instead of trying to protect him in other ways." Luke finished his sentence, held Luca’s hand, and rose to his feet."Ms. Poplar, we have a dinner appointment to attend. We won't disturb you further for now. Please take your time to think it over.”Sarah watched them leave and nodded.They had come today because Marcos had promised to visit her. Was
As Luca heaved a sigh, Lliam had already parked the car at the entrance of Blue Coast Restaurant. After Luke and Luca got out of the car, they were led into a private room by the waitress at the entrance, where Percy and Nina were already waiting for them."Sorry for being late," Luke said to Percy. When they returned, they encountered some traffic, so they were ten minutes later than the agreed time."Mr. Crawford is a busy man. I’m used to it." A hint of mischief flashed across Percy’s eyes as he teased Luke.Nina wore a helpless smile and replied, "It's okay. Actually, we just arrived.""I didn't expect traffic on the way back, sorry," apologized Luca. They all valued punctuality. That was why being late required an apology."Dr. Craw, it's okay," replied Percy. He could joke with Luke but not with Luca. After all, Luca was now arguably the most capable among them. Most importantly, Luca was Nina's good friend.There was a saying, a man should never offend his girlfriend
Fortunately, she did not expose herself in front of Percy.The waitress let out a sigh of relief and stood to the side of the private room. Even though she did not reveal any flaws, her focus today was solely on serving this private room. Therefore, she had to stand by the door. She had to be ready to provide service to the guests while also keeping an eye on things.The waitress remained stationed by the door, watching as the kitchen staff brought out the dishes. She knocked on the door again, "Sir, may I serve the dishes now?""Sure." Percy's voice came from inside.The waitress pushed the door open, signaling the kitchen staff to bring in the exquisite dishes.As plate after plate of food was placed on the table, the sight left Luca astonished. There were only four of them, yet they had ordered so many dishes. Could they finish it all?Luke shared the same thought with Luca. He teased Percy, "That's quite a spread. With so many dishes, do you think we'll be able to finish th
"Madam Mallory, this isn't Mallory Manor. If you've got something to say, just spit it out. I'm not interested in hearing you beat about the bush," replied Luca in a cold voice.A wave of anger roused within Karen. What kind of attitude was this?Did she think she was all that just because she had Luke supporting her?The thought of Luke made Karen even more enraged. Why was it that people and things associated with this name always seemed to be exceptionally difficult to deal with?"I have something to discuss with you!" When Karen saw that Luca was about to leave the restroom, she thought if she did not sort things out here, she would not have the chance to do so later.She did not want anyone to see her begging Luca. Even if Percy might help her if he knew about it, she did not want him to witness this scene. It was too embarrassing.Luca paused for a moment, unable to imagine what Karen wanted to talk to her about.Could it be about what happened with Nina before? However,
"Since you think it’s nice too, I'll buy it," replied Nina, proceeding to place the order.After placing the order, Nina rose to her feet."Where are you going?" asked Luca."I’d like to use the restroom," answered Nina with a smile on her face.At the thought that Karen was also dining in this restaurant, Luca stood up and said, "I'll go with you.""You're going too?" Nina asked in surprise, wondering why Luca was going again when she had just come back."Just keeping you company," said Luca. She took Nina's hand as they walked out of the private room together.Luke and Percy, who were behind them, did not say anything. Luca closed the private room door behind her and then walked toward the restroom with Nina.When Nina saw this, she could not help but say, "Why do I feel like you're acting strangely?""Am I?” Luca shook her head. "I just want to be with you.""You were gone for so long just now. Did you meet someone?" asked Nina, feeling that Luca's behavior was odd. She wo
"When I first went to the restroom, I ran into Madam Mallory." Luca had no choice but to confess.Luke frowned. "Karen?"His gaze immediately fell on Percy."I didn't say anything." Percy knew what Luke wanted to know. Now, he only wanted to live peacefully with Nina. If Karen did not agree to their marriage, then she should not be involved in their lives. Therefore, there was no way he would tell Karen he would be hosting a dinner here."She's investigating you," said Luke.Percy shook his head, indicating there was nothing he could do about it. Karen wanted to investigate him and have his whereabouts tracked, but he could not do anything about it.The key was, Percy did not expect Karen to follow him here just because he organized a dinner party. What was she up to?Percy turned to look at Luca again, figuring she might know the answer.Luca let go of Nina's hand, sat back in her seat, and said, "I don't know how she found out that I had previously used dry needling to tr
Percy noticed that the manager looked anxious and dared not to take the credit card from him. He frowned and repeated again, "The bill, please!""Yes, sir!" The manager had no choice but to take Percy's credit card. "A moment, please."After taking Percy's card, the manager walked out of the private room, signaled to the waitress, and instructed her in a low voice, "Go check the women's restroom and see what happened to the mirrors!""The mirrors?" The waitress was puzzled. What could be wrong with the mirrors?"Just go and check," the manager instructed firmly."Yes." The waitress dared not to delay any longer. She practically jogged over, heading to the women's restroom.As she pushed the door open, she looked at the sink area. When she saw the mirrors, she could not help but be surprised.The perfectly fine mirrors had been smashed to pieces!The waitress quickly glanced around. There were no tools around that could have smashed the mirrors, and there was no bloodstain aroun
After leaving the restaurant, Luke and Luca got into the car together and left. Lliam was driving in front, stealing glances at his boss. After a moment's pause, he spoke up, "Boss, I just saw Madam Mallory."Worried that Luke might misunderstand, he added, "Karen Ruiz.""Mhm, I know." Luke nodded and turned to look at Luca. "Are you really okay?"“Why did you suddenly lose faith in me? Not just anyone can harm me. Madam Mallory doesn't have what it takes,” replied Luca. Even the man who was with Karen might not be able to lay his hands on her."Well, as long as you're not hurt… But since she has this idea, she won't give up easily. You still need to be careful," reminded Luke, sensing that Karen might resort to force to coerce Luca.Luca nodded. Karen knew she might be able to help Pierre with his recovery, so she would not give up easily, which meant she might have other plans. Still, whatever her plans were, she could not harm Luca.Thus, Luca was not too worried. "Usually
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