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
“Madam Mallory, what’s the matter?” Luca was not particularly polite to her.If Karen were not Percy's mother or if Luke were not friends with Percy, she would not have come to see her.Although Luke had said she could do what she wanted and did not need to worry about him or T Corporation, there were some interpersonal relationships that she felt should not be strained too much.After all, even though Luke now said it was fine and Percy's relationship with Karen was not great, what if…What if in the future, Karen accepted Nina and her relationship with Percy returned to normal?If she embarrassed herself now, it might affect Luke and Percy's friendship.That was why she decided to come see Karen.“Dr. Craw…” Karen greeted her, then paused for a moment, not saying anything else.Luca sat across from her and glanced at the time with a cold expression on her face. “I have another meeting soon. If you have something to say, please do. My research tasks are quite heavy.”Even tho
“Yeah, we still need to be cautious. With Percy's wedding approaching and Pierre's recovery not going well, her emotions might go haywire. Who knows what she might do?”Luke, despite not meddling in women's affairs, still had some understanding of Percy's mother. Most of what he knew came from Percy himself, with some additional insights from past interactions. He knew Karen was not simple.Therefore, when he heard Karen was going to see Luca, he grew concerned. Despite Luca's skills and professional training on the Island of Despair, she could still be in danger if Karen caused trouble.“Yes, I know,” replied Luca, knowing Luke was worried about her from his long-windedness.She could not help but wonder how surprised T Corporation's employees would be if they knew about Luke's current state. “I have dinner tonight. Will you come with me?” asked Luke.“Dinner? I'd rather not go if there are strangers,” replied Luca. As the elevator reached the floor, she stepped out.“They
“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