Vivian was lost in thought when the three kids came downstairs.The three kids saw Vivian and gathered around her, greeting her in unison, "Good afternoon, Ms. Vivian."Vivian looked at the three kids surrounding her, smiled, and replied, "Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy, good afternoon."She suddenly remembered something and picked up her backpack. She took out three neatly wrapped gifts from inside, handed them to the kids, and said, "This one is for Lanie, this one is for Rainie, and this one is for Tommy."The three kids accepted the gifts and thanked her, “Thank you, Ms. Vivian.”As Luca looked at the three happy kids, she shook her head helplessly. "You bought wine, and now you're giving gifts to the children. Vivian, if you keep spending like this, I won’t dare to invite you the next time there's something good to eat at home.""Come on, I just find the kids too adorable. That's why I bought them books. They're just books, nothing too pricey," Vivian quickly explained. These bo
"Why is there so much food? Are you preparing for a grand party?" Nina could not help but ask. She then immediately denied it.A grand party could not possibly be in the form of a barbecue."Luca, how many people did you invite? Should I go home and change into something else?" asked Nina. She wore a shirt and jeans today, thinking it was just a private gathering where comfort mattered most.However, she did not expect Luca to prepare so much food. She wondered if many people were going to attend later.Previously, Nina would not have cared about these things. It was fine as long as she was comfortable. Yet, things were different now. She and Percy had already registered their marriage, and this matter had spread in their social circle. That was why she could not just act according to her own whim. She had to consider Percy's reputation.Every move she made and every word she said now represented Percy."No need. This is fine. Look, I'm dressed casually too. It's just some fr
"Thinking about staying here?" Luca teased her.Nina squinted her eyes and said, "I'd love to, but Percy won't allow it. But I could always pick a fight with him. Then, I'd have an excuse to move here. This place feels like half my home anyway.""Please don't. If Mr. Mallory finds out about your plan, he might hold a grudge against me." Luca laughed.Nina waved her hand dismissively. "He wouldn't dare!"“But seriously, if you like it here, you should visit more often. The kids really like you,” continued Luca. “They even said they had a gift for you when they heard you were coming today.”Luca paused for a moment, suddenly realizing she had revealed the kids' plan. “Just pretend you didn't hear that, okay?”Nina sat up straight and looked excitedly at Luca. “Really? The kids actually prepared a gift for me?”“Yes. They said that since you'll be getting married soon, they wanted to surprise you with a gift every week. They started preparing it after finishing their homework last
Still, having a child was Vivian's wish now.Vivian thought that she could wait until after she graduated and had a stable job. Then, she could adopt a child from an orphanage.The thought brought a smile to her face, deepening her anticipation for a bright future.After the kids delivered their gifts, they sat down quietly to read. Around five in the afternoon, the invited guests began to arrive.Luke also wrapped up his work and came downstairs to greet the guests. Even though he was the esteemed Mr. Crawford, the attendees were all his friends and family. Hence, he did not put on airs. Instead, he chatted with a few friends while accompanied by Lanie.The men mainly talked about work. There had been quite a few developments in A City recently. For instance, the bidding for the suburban development was about to start, and they were determined to win this project. Luke had not invited the Norman family to avoid any conflicts of interest because of the bidding project.More
"If you don't know something, no one will help you. Drinking without eating? Watch your stomach. You're already a loner, and if you end up in the hospital, no one will take care of you. It's really pathetic." Gale's words were harsh.Gordan rolled his eyes. "Some friend you are, cursing me like that!"Gale shrugged his shoulders and handed him some grilled beef. "You do look pretty pitiful. Here, have some. This is Dr. Craw's homemade marinated beef. It's better than anything you'd get outside."Gordan knew Luca was a great cook. He raised his eyebrows. Even though he had not eaten all day, he was not particularly interested in food at the moment.As he looked at the beef Gale handed to him, he pondered for a moment before taking it from him.Even though he did not have an appetite, he knew he needed to eat something. Otherwise, his body would suffer, making it difficult to carry out any tasks later.He took a bite.The beef was brought over by Gale from Rain. It was a bit charr
"Why don't you just sit a bit farther away?" Gordan wanted to switch places with Gale. Everyone else had someone helping them with the barbecue except for him and Louis.Even Gale had Rain as a great partner to help him out. However, Louis' situation was different. He was single. Louis’ wife and kids could not come because they had other commitments. That was why he was barbecuing alone.Gale, holding a glass of wine, looked at him cheerfully. "I won't. If you want to switch places with me, why don’t you fight me for it?""Do you think I'm afraid of you?!" Gordan, a bit tipsy, felt unusually frustrated with today's barbecue and had no objections to Gale’s suggestion.Just as Gale was about to stand up, Luke's steady voice interrupted them, "Sit down."Gale immediately sat down and said, "It's a barbecue. No fighting today."Gordan sneered, "You're the one who brought it up."Gale took a sip of his wine, pointed behind him, and reminded him, "There are kids here. Fighting in fr
Luca understood the meaning in Luke's eyes. Even though she did not agree, she continued to grill the meat without saying much.Vivian also witnessed the scene. Although unsure of what was happening, she felt a bit worried. Hence, she asked in a soft voice, "Luca, are they okay?""It's nothing, just a conversation between a mother and son." Luca shook her head, refraining from gossiping to Vivian about Louis and Susan.Vivian was not one to pry. The reason she asked was because she could not shake off her concern seeing that both of their expressions were not quite right. When Luca said that, she did not press further. She simply nodded and passed over her already-cooked food to Luca. "I can't finish all this. Could you help me with some?"She noticed Luca either passed the cooked food to Luke or the kids, hardly eating anything herself.Luca accepted it and replied, "Thank you. You're really good at grilling."Vivian modestly responded, "During the university's anniversary cel
"Invading your privacy? Are you kidding me? You're my son! It's only right that I do this!" Susan did not feel she was in the wrong at all. She let out a cold sneer and added, "Louis, I raised you and let you grow up safely in such a complex family environment. "Now that you've grown up, you can't wait to soar free, huh? Let me tell you, you can't ignore me. No matter what, I'm still your mother, got it? I'm your mother, and you have to listen to me. So, move back here!""I'm not moving back." Louis took a deep breath, restraining the anger inside him.In his eyes, Susan's every move seemed excessively controlling. He used to understand her strong need for control, especially when the heir to the family had not been determined yet. He could understand how difficult it was for Susan to accept his father taking in another woman and even having a child with her. Hence, he would cooperate with her and satisfy her maternal desire for control.Now, he did not feel the need to comply w
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
Luke stayed silent, letting the chilled beer cool him down, washing away some of the lingering heat.Gerald glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before leaning in and speaking softly to Luke. “Actually, I’ve seen it.”“Seen what?” Luke could not be bothered.Lowering his voice even further, Gerald whispered just loud enough for the two of them to hear, “I’ve seen you going into Ms. Craw’s room quite often.”Luke’s expression sharpened instantly. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.He had been so cautious. How had Gerald noticed? Was he bluffing?Luke narrowed his eyes and said nothing.His aura grew colder by the second.Gerald, sensing the rising tension, shrank back slightly and quickly added, “Relax, I’m not going to tell anyone. If I wanted to report you, I would’ve done it already.”Luke’s expression eased slightly.Gerald continued to reassure him, “I’m not one to meddle. Look, I haven’t said a word about you, and I even stood up for you during that whole thing