"Alright, let's head to the living room on the second floor," suggested Luca, inviting Gale upstairs to the living room.Gale carried the bag and followed her upstairs.Aunt Neile watched them from behind and murmured, "Should I bring some refreshments up?"When Lanie heard Aunt Neile muttering, he paused his homework and said, "No need, Aunt Neile. Ms. Luca and Uncle Gale are just going to chat for a bit. There’s no need to bring refreshments up.""Okay, then I'll continue preparing dinner." Aunt Neile nodded. She had just invited Gale to stay for dinner, but when she heard Lanie's words, she did not inquire further. She knew Luca wanted to have a private conversation with Gale upstairs and thought it best to prepare more food just in case he decided to stay.With that in mind, Aunt Neile began preparing dinner.…Upstairs, Gale sat on the couch and started to show Luca the herbs he had collected. "I just thought they looked similar to the pictures, but I'm not familiar with
"Great!" When the three kids returned, Aunt Neile served them some fruits, so they were not hungry now.Suddenly, Luca remembered the cartoons she had downloaded earlier and said, "I'll play the cartoons I downloaded. Didn't you miss some of it the day I came back? I downloaded the episode."Then, Luca played it on the TV screen.Tommy cheered, "Ms. Luca, you're awesome!""I originally planned to let you watch it on the weekend, but since you've finished your homework so early today, you can catch up now." Luca put her phone down and started to check their homework.These days were peaceful. She spent her evenings with the kids while waiting for Luke to come back. She found these days quite fulfilling.However, she also knew that this tranquility could be shattered at any moment by Abel. That was why she cherished these moments even more.Luca's smile faded slightly at the thought of Abel.Who knew how long this peace would last..."Ms. Luca, what's wrong?" Rainie was sitting
Louis and Susan had to meet face-to-face before they could start discussing and ultimately reach a resolution.Only then could this matter be resolved. This issue was caused by Old Master Crawford, and it was not a problem for him to suffer a bit. However, Old Master Crawford has been enduring this for quite some time now, to the point where it was almost unbearable. It was also Luke’s duty to resolve this issue for him. Luca's proposal of a barbecue was indeed a good opportunity. Luke added, "This matter was caused by Grandpa. He had someone pretend to be from another company to negotiate the acquisition with Louis. It just so happened that Mother heard about it and caused a scene. This matter should also come to a resolution now." Luca was slightly surprised that it was Old Master Crawford who caused it! Still, what surprised her even more was that Susan could not reach Louis. Thus, she went to see Old Master Crawford every day... Imagining this scene, Luca could fig
Gordan could not care less about things like barbecues, but when he heard Gale mention there would be wine, his eyes lit up. Suddenly, he was enthusiastic about it.All he could think about now was getting his hands on some alcohol. "Sure. Why the heck not? If there's good liquor involved, count me in.”"Are you planning to drain Boss' liquor stash?" Gale took a sip of his drink and teased him."He's got plenty in his cellar. What's the harm in me having a taste?" Gordon knew that Luke had a habit of collecting fine wines. There were many in his wine cellar that Gordan wanted to try but had not had the chance to yet.With so much good wine calling his name, it would be dumb not to go."I'll let Boss know," replied Gale. After all, it was not his party, so they had to give the host a heads-up.Gordan stopped him. "No need. I'm worried that if you tell him, Luke won't bring out the good stuff. Just take me along. No need to give him a heads-up.""Is he really so stingy that he won
As Gale looked at the man lunging toward him like a wild beast, he stood up holding the lobster roll and moved to another seat. "Gordan, just because you're drunk doesn't mean you're the boss around here. If you dare to lay a finger on me for real, I won't go easy on you."Gordan heard Gale’s warning and wore an annoyed expression on his face."Gale, you've changed," muttered Gordan. He was too lazy to engage in a scuffle. He pouted as he continued drinking.Gale took another bite of the lobster roll and asked, "How so?"After he asked that, he suddenly nodded and added, "Back then, even if I had free time, I wouldn't bother hanging out with you. I must've lost my mind to come to this place with you for a drink. I'm eating chowing down on this lobster roll."Gale disdainfully eyed the lobster roll. He glared at Gordan as he said, "Remember, you owe me a proper meal.""Alright, I'll treat you to a feast when I'm less busy." Gordan waved it off.Gale clicked his tongue. If he took
"Shut up..." muttered Gordan as he rolled over. "I don't need a woman!"Gale slumped on the couch, feeling a bit intoxicated. If he had not heard what Gordan had just said, he would have believed it himself that Gordan did not need a woman.Gale pressed the service bell. After a while, the waitress entered. "Sir, how can I assist you?""He's drunk. Get two guys to help me carry him up to the hotel," said Gale as he pointed at Gordan. He was too drunk now to manage Gordan on his own. That was why he needed their help."Alright. A moment, please." The waitress turned around and left, leaving the door ajar. She called for two waiters to enter the room. They hoisted Gordan up, one on each side.Gordan was built like an athlete, possessing the kind of physique that made him appear lean when clothed but muscular when unclothed. Even as the two slender waiters each took a side to carry him, he still proved to be a weighty burden, making every step a challenge.When Gale saw this, he let
Since it was a Saturday the following day, Luca lingered in bed for a while longer before getting up. She figured that Aunt Neile must have already bought all the ingredients needed for today, so now she needed to go downstairs to help.Some ingredients needed to be marinated for a few hours to taste good when grilled. When Luca arrived downstairs, the kids were all sitting on the couch reading.When they saw Luca coming down, they all greeted her, "Ms. Luca, you’re up.""Yes, I am. Where's your daddy?" asked Luca. When she walked out of the bedroom, she glanced at the opposite bedroom door, which was open. However, Luke was not inside. She slept quite deeply all night. Therefore, she had no idea when he got up."Daddy left early. He said he had to go back to the office to deal with something. Ms. Luca, please go and have your breakfast. Aunt Neile put a lot of things on the table. Maybe you should bring them over here to eat," said Rainie, reminding her not to go hungry."O
"Lanie!" Tommy protested and waved his hands. "I'm not interested in raw meat.""But when you see it, you'll imagine how delicious it'll be once it's cooked," Lanie continued to tease Tommy."You're so mean..." Tommy was annoyed with his words but still sat down.He was the most gluttonous one. When he saw raw meat, he would think of how delicious it would be once cooked by Luca.Lanie was right. At the thought of this, he gave up the idea of helping. He looked closely at Lanie and asked, "Lanie, if you're not tempted, why don't you go over and help?""I can't." Lanie shook his head. "I'm allergic to the kitchen, just like Daddy. I lack talent.""You're just lazy." Tommy hit the nail on the head.Finally, Lanie raised his eyes from his book. He looked at his younger brother and nodded. "I am lazy, just like Daddy."He really did not like being near the kitchen.He was not interested in what was happening inside the kitchen. He was not a girl, like Rainie, who was interested
“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