“But I don't want them to get married just like that," Karen muttered those words as she clenched her teeth. “Father, you must have a way to handle this.”“What can I do? It's your child. If you can't manage your own child, how do you expect an old man like me to help? How ridiculous you are!” Old Master Mallory's words made Karen's face flush with embarrassment and anger.The truth was, neither of them had a solution.After watching Old Master Mallory leave, Karen slammed the door shut. She immediately called one of her subordinates. “How's the situation coming along?”“Ma'am, it's proving difficult to kidnap Luca," reported the person on the other end. “Our guys found out that Luca has a driver driving her to and from work every day, and the driver is one of Luke’s men. He’s a real tough guy. Plus, Luca herself isn’t easy to mess with. She knows how to throw a punch too.” The man had done his homework.Since this matter involved Luke, they had to proceed with caution.“What's
Luca understood Queenie's intention. Nodding, she said, “Okay, thank you, Mrs. Norman.”“Have a seat for a bit. I'll go to the kitchen. We have some pasta at home, so it won't take long,” Queenie said with a smile on her face as she headed into the kitchen.The maid placed a cup of floral tea in front of Luca. “Ms. Craw, you should visit more often.”“Hmm?” Luca took the cup of tea, unsure of what the maid meant.The maid explained, “Mrs. Norman has been smiling a lot from the moment you appeared.“Mrs. Norman hasn’t been in a good mood because of Ms. Leia’s matter today. She's been kinda down and out, barely touching her lunch. But since you showed up, her mood's brightened a bunch. "That's why I'm saying you've got to come around more often. It'll put a smile on Mrs. Norman's face.”Luca sipped her tea and nodded. As people grew older, they cherished having children around. Such days were warm and full of hope.The maid's words reminded Luca that she had been too busy lately
As Queenie listened to Leia's words, her face turned pale. She showed a look of disappointment. “Leia, you've really let me down.” Queenie felt like getting up and leaving.Despite everything, Queenie still had some feelings for her daughter, so she said, “Your father and I have always provided you with whatever you wanted. Even after Bianca came back, nothing changed in the way we treated you. "You've done such terrible things and still show no remorse. Leia, you’ve deeply disappointed us.”Leia sneered, her eyes brimming with malice. “Really? Well, I regret it too.”Queenie’s heart skipped a beat. She thought Leia regretted her actions. If that were true, she might welcome Leia back into the family after she was released three years later.However, the next moment, she heard Leia say in a chilling voice, “If I had known I'd end up here today, I would've used the deadliest poison to kill you! And Jack, I wouldn't have spared him either. With you both dead, the Norman family wo
”Mrs. Norman,” Luca called out to Queenie.“Yes?” Queenie's eyes were filled with warmth. She seemed eager to shower Luca with affection.After visiting Leia today, Queenie finally understood that Leia hated her and her husband deeply. Even when they had no idea about Luca's identity and treated her indifferently, Leia was jealous and resentful. It all stemmed from Leia's deep-seated hatred toward them. She would also resent anyone who was close to them. Hence, Queenie knew she had to slowly let go of Leia as her daughter. It was best to act as though she never had such a daughter. Only by doing so could she feel better. Without Leia, all she had now was Luca. As a mother with just one child, she wanted to give Luca the best of everything. However, Luca had grown up and was a mother of four. There was only so much she could give now, and even if she could, it was too late for many things.Luca pointed at the bed. The guest room bed was big enough for both of them to sleep
However, Leia had no talent for cooking at all. She never even attended the cooking classes she was signed up for. When Queenie tried to teach her, she could not stick with it and often complained about the heavy kitchen smoke being bad for her skin. After that, she refused to go back in. Thus, Queenie’s wish to have Leia help out in the kitchen and create a warm mother-daughter cooking experience never came true.Fortunately, their beloved daughter had returned.Luca felt someone watching them from behind. When she turned around, she saw it was Jack. She smiled sweetly and said, “Mr. Norman, hurry up and wash your hands. Dinner’s almost ready.”“Alright, alright,” Jack responded quickly. This was his precious daughter, the one who truly inherited the best of him and Queenie.Seeing the joy on Jack’s face, Queenie's smile widened as well. “Luca, if Mr. Norman’s colleagues saw him like this, they’d be shocked.”“Why?” Luca asked, puzzled.“Unless he’s with the public, Mr. Norm
Jack was aware of Queenie's words. Thus, he dismissed the idea.…Luke and Luca went home together. As soon as they walked into the living room, the three kids gathered around them.Tommy, with his chubby cheeks puffed out, was about to start complaining when Luca pulled out some cookies made by Queenie. “Look what I brought for you!”“Wow, cookies!” Tommy's eyes lit up, and he immediately forgot his complaints when he saw the cookies.He reached out to grab one, but Luca held the cookies higher and said, “Your grandma made these.”“Ms. Luca, I want one, I want one,” cried Tommy, jumping up and down, trying to get a cookie.However, no matter how high he jumped, he just could not reach them, making Lanie and Rainie laugh. “Tommy, can you stop being so greedy?”“I want one.” Tommy pouted his mouth.“Didn't we just finish dinner? And you ate so much. Can you really eat more cookies?” Rainie bluntly exposed the truth.“Of course, I can!” Tommy waved his hands. “I eat a lot, an
Jack nodded.Earlier, he had considered using some of his connections to make things a bit easier for Leia while she was inside. He did not have much affection for his adopted daughter, but Queenie still cared for her, so he could not just stand by and do nothing. If anything happened to Leia, it would ultimately trouble Queenie.This was the first time Queenie had clearly stated that she wanted to give up on Leia. Thus, Jack also lost any desire to help Leia. He had long given up hope for Leia. Her health had deteriorated so much that she had not improved at all. Going in there would not make her any better either.Jack had always believed that a person could change with proper guidance.However, Leia had completely changed his mind. He realized some people were innately evil, and no amount of education would change that inherent malevolence.“It's late. You should get some rest,” said Jack.Queenie shook her head and then asked, “Shall we go to Luke's place after you get of
”Mandy, aren't you the reason why I’m in here?!” Leia rose to her feet, glaring fiercely at Mandy on the top bunk.“If it weren't for you involving me in those things, would I have ended up like this?” Mandy chuckled disdainfully, finding it the most absurd thing she had ever heard. “Leia, if you didn't have it in you, you wouldn't have involved yourself no matter what I said to you. Besides, it was your own request, remember? You wanted Matysh's men to harm your foster parents. How could you forget that? "You're blaming others now after coming up with the plan yourself? You're shameless, blaming others for something you did to your own foster parents. Who do you think you are?”Leia clenched her fists tightly but did not strike. She was injured now. Mandy could hurt her anywhere with just a touch, making her no match for her.“Oh, Leia. You truly are cheap to your core!” sneered Mandy.Mandy was deeply envious after knowing Leia’s family background. If only she had Leia's
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