"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
"I love them!" Tommy immediately shook his head. He enjoyed everything Luca made!He did not expect their father to suggest something so ordinary to eat."As long as she makes it, I'll love it," said Luke.Tommy nodded and then heard his brother remind him, "Daddy is just worried about Ms. Luca. He doesn't want her to be too tired."Luke threw him a glance of appreciation.It made sense that the eldest son was the smartest. Luke had not said anything, but Lanie could understand his intentions. Whether it was barbecue or tacos, even if Aunt Neile were to help, Luca would be busy. Hence, Luca suggested having a simple meal, which would make it much easier for Luca."Are we doing something wrong, then..." Tommy thought to himself. There were three meals, and their mother would probably have to prepare for a long time...He did not want to make his mother tired either. The kids began to reflect on whether they should not have been so noisy just now and whether they should not have
"Do we really need this many ingredients?" Luke furrowed his brows. Even though it was Aunt Neile who went shopping, it was Luca who would be doing all the seasoning. Each ingredient required different handling, and Luke was worried that Luca would end up too busy and exhausted."Yes, the more variety there is, the happier the kids will be when they eat," replied Luca. She deeply understood this point. Back when her family was struggling financially, it did not matter how much or little food there was as long as there were a variety of choices. It was a great experience even if the food was just what the grown-ups deemed as junk food. She would always find happiness in it, even if she could not eat to her heart's content.Hence, one should enjoy it to the fullest when enjoying food. The prerequisite for that was having a wide variety.As Luke listened to what Luca said, he chuckled and shook his head. "You'll tire yourself out with so much to do.""If we promise something t
No matter who it was, nobody would dare to offend a doctor.However, Pierre was different. He felt that he did not need Johann's help with treatment now. Moreover, without the help of Luca, he would find it difficult to stand up normally. He just decided to go for it, and he did not care anymore.Johann loosened his clenched fist. If he could, he really wanted to punch him in the face!However, he could not do that because he was a doctor. No matter how capable a doctor he was, if he laid hands on a patient, his career in A City would be over.Johann took a deep breath, pulled a chair over, and sat down. As the rage in his eyes dissipated, he looked at Pierre again. This time, his gaze contained a hint of mockery."Mr. Pierre, how important do you think your reputation is, anyway?" asked Johann.Pierre noticed Johann’s tone had changed, and he could not help but wonder if this was some kind of magic trick? How could his emotions shift so easily?"I just want you to ask Luca, tha
"I get it, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. He held the textbooks and the files given by Luca as he stood up. "Dr. Craw, if there's nothing else, I'll head out to work.""Wait, there's one more thing," replied Luca. She picked up her phone and transferred some money to Rhett. "Today's Friday, and everyone's been working hard lately. Can you go ahead and book a restaurant and a karaoke room? After work, gather everyone to grab a bite and sing some songs.”"Alright, Dr. Craw. Will you be joining us?" asked Rhett. Luca was a considerate boss to her subordinates, so it was not surprising for her to fund such activities.If they had time to relax, they would be able to work better the following week."I won't be going. I want you all to have fun. I'll cover the expenses," replied Luca. She knew that if she participated, they would not be able to fully enjoy themselves.Besides, she would rather spend time at home with Luke and the kids.Therefore, she took care of the finances and let them
"Blue Coast Restaurant?" Mo Stone was startled for a moment. She thought she had misheard. "You mean the one that's all over the internet?""Yes." Rhett nodded, observing Mo's reaction with some curiosity. He then asked, "What's the matter?""Nothing, I was just curious. That restaurant is quite expensive. How much did Dr. Craw give you guys?" Mo tested the waters and asked, thinking that even an ordinary meal there would cost several thousand dollars..."Revealing that might not be the best idea,” replied Rhett. There were other research team members in the office, and revealing the amount might make them feel a little sour about it.He understood this aspect of workplace dynamics well. Not every research professor was as generous as Luca. Having a high income was one thing, but being generous was something else.If the other professors could not be as generous as Luca, then Luca would become the exception.Such exceptions were not always welcomed in the workplace. Rhett did n
“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