Tommy rolled his eyes, unfazed by Simon's words. "If my dad finds out you bullied my sister, he'll beat you up.""Mr. Crawford wouldn't do that." Simon knew what kind of person Luke was. He might spank Lanie and Tommy, but he would never hit him.However, if this escalated, his dad would definitely punish him.Simon looked at the little girl next to Rainie and said, "Teri, I'll give you some candy if you switch seats with me, okay?""No way." Teri shook her head. "You're just going to bully Rainie. I'm not switching seats with you!""You little brat!" Simon was frustrated. He had not tugged on Rainie's hair in a long time, and he could not help himself today.After all, Rainie was such a cute little girl, and he just wanted her to notice him more. That was why he could not help himself...Who knew he would end up annoying Rainie?Lanie looked at Simon with a serious expression on his face. "Are we still playing or not?""Of course, we're playing! Just watch me beat you!" Simon
Due to the surveillance camera at the entrance of the community, it would be difficult for the driver to stop inside, so Vivian got off near the entrance. She glanced at the community gate, which was not far away, then checked the time. It was already past 11. She quickly sent a message to Luca to let her know that she had safely returned home and she did not need to worry.After a while, Luca replied with a simple: [Okay.]As Vivian tucked away her phone and prepared to head toward the entrance, she noticed someone standing not too far from the streetlights. Her heart instantly went on high alert as she glanced at the person.Vivian knew she was pretty safe because of her appearance, but some men were just unpredictable. Moreover, she was worried that the person might try to rob her. The surroundings were eerily quiet, and the closer she got to the person, the faster her heart pounded.Was that person intentionally standing there?What was he doing standing there?Vivian was n
The following day, Gale, Rain, and Gordan showed up together at Luke's villa. When Luca came downstairs and saw them, she was startled for a moment. Then, she immediately realized the situation. She smiled and greeted them, "Good morning, Mr. Norton, Mr. Gale, and Ms. Rain.""Good morning, Dr. Craw," they replied in unison.Since Aunt Neile was there, they could not address her as Bianca."Are you all here to discuss matters with Mr. Crawford?" asked Luca."Yes, we need to talk to Luke," replied Gordan, speaking for the group.Luca pondered for a moment and said, "We're having tacos for lunch today. Why don't you stay and join us?"The three of them knew Luca's home-cooked meals were delicious, but they hesitated and shook their heads at the thought of Luke.Gale said, "Dr. Craw, we'll leave after discussing things with the boss. You don't need to worry about us.""If the discussion takes a long time, you should stay for lunch. It's decided," Luca insisted. After all, Aunt Ne
"Thank you so much, Aunt Neile. I'll be in the study for a while. Could you please call me at 11:00 am?" Luca was worried about getting too absorbed in her research and forgetting the time.They were planning to have tacos for lunch. The preparation required her attention. She needed an extra hour to get everything ready."Sure, I got it." Aunt Neile nodded. Then, she heard Luca add, "Oh, by the way, I ordered some groceries online and left the home phone number. Could you please keep an eye on the phone later? They can't deliver to our house, so I'll need you to fetch them.""No problem, I'll take care of it," replied Aunt Neile as she placed the plates on a tray.Other than a bit of leftovers left on Luke's plate, there was hardly anything left on the other three plates. It was evident that Luca's toasts were delicious and exactly to their liking.After Luca came upstairs, she passed by Luke's bedroom, which he used as an office. The door was closed. Knowing their conversation
"Got it," Amur replied expressionlessly. He did not see any difficulty in Abel's request.If Abel wanted to eliminate the people from the Island of Despair, Amur would have to execute it immediately. These targets, even though they appeared to be from the Island of Despair, actually had no connection to it. Their fate was not in his hands.This included the third person, whose fate also was not in his hands. That person's fate was mainly in Abel's hands.If the mission failed, Amur would die too.Amur had always known the brutality of the Island of Despair, so he never thought he could survive by working for Abel. While working for him, he only focused on doing his job and protecting Luca as best as he could.Abel turned around to look at him. The cigar in his hand had burned out, and he flicked it away before stroking his chin and asking, "Will you go easy on Gerald Muller?""Who's Gerald Muller?" asked Amur, not recognizing the name."He's the one you're supposed to assist,"
As Luca explained, Amur began to grasp the overall situation. "Got it."Essentially, it boiled down to Abel not trusting Luca. There was an old saying in A City, “If you doubt a person, don't use them. If you use them, don't doubt them.” However, this saying did not apply to Abel. He doubted everyone, especially Luca and those around her.Even Amur and Eler were closely watched by Abel's people, who feared they might do something to harm the interests of the Island of Despair. At times, Amur could not grasp why Abel would assign Luca such important missions if he truly doubted her.He could easily assign her other missions or just keep her confined on the Island of Despair. It would be a form of torment for Luke. The person beside him was not the real Luca while the real Luca was being painfully manipulated. Was that not a better form of revenge?Amur was puzzled.Luca let out a sigh as she recalled the events in X City. She reminded, "Pierre’s incident caused a big stir,
Aunt Neile's grandchild enjoyed her home-cooked meals, so Aunt Neile was even more willing to collect recipes for cooking. This way, whenever she had free time, she could cook for her grandson and receive his praises. Aunt Neile would feel happy as well."Alright, let me explain in detail so you can remember," said Luca. As she cooked, she explained to Aunt Neile how she made the dishes. After finishing the spicy tacos, she began preparing the non-spicy ones. Aunt Neile said, "I'll take note of this too. My daughter-in-law isn't from A City. She prefers spicy food. If I learn to make this, I can cook it for her too.""Okay, I'll tell you all about it," explained Luca as she cooked, demonstrating the best ingredients to use. All of this was from her previous research. Back then, while studying abroad, she sometimes worked part-time in restaurants. She would pick up some skills while helping out in the kitchen. Then, based on recipes she learned, she developed her own.Her
"We were just having a conversation," Gale lied through his teeth, looking the kids straight in the eye.Tommy pointed at the ceiling, then to the floor. "The distance between the first and second floors isn’t that far. We could hear everything clearly. We heard it all.""It was just a loud conversation," replied Gordan, shooting a glare at Gale. It was all his fault for provoking him. Now, his cool image in front of the kids was ruined."Alright. If you don't want to embarrass yourselves, then stop arguing all the time." Luke stepped in to mediate. He turned to the kids and asked, "Did you wash your hands?""Yes," replied Tommy.Lanie glanced at Gordan and then at Gale, suddenly posing a deep question. "Daddy, Mr. Gale and Mr. Gordan argue so much. Can they really work together?"He doubted their ability to cooperate with each other.Both Gale and Gordan immediately put on serious faces."Lanie, you can't doubt my seriousness and professionalism," said Gordan."Nor can yo
“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