After Luca finished washing up, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Luke held her in his arms, but he was wide awake.Ever since he found out that Luca was summoned to the the Island of Despair base today, he was unable to rest easy, worried that something might happen to her. Fortunately, she was not hurt, and everything seemed normal.Now that Shanks was frequently conducting research here, Luke knew he would continue to worry if this issue was not resolved, He realized some things could not be delayed any longer.In the pitch-black bedroom, his phone suddenly lit up. Luke released Luca’s waist, picked up his phone, and quietly left the room. After closing the door, he glanced at the message, then stepped onto the balcony and dialed a number.“Boss, you saw the message?” Gale’s voice came through. He was the one who sent the message earlier.Luke’s voice was heavy as he directly asked, “Yeah. Are you sure the information is accurate?”“It’s accurate. I
“Gale's handling it. Don’t worry,” said Luke.Luca rubbed her eyes and replied, “I'm going to have to take another leave this morning. Good thing you're the boss. If it were someone else, I'd probably be fired by now.”Luke's gaze deepened. “I'll have Rain and the others keep an eye on things.”“That's fine, but try not to let them blow their cover. I might get hit once or twice today, but it's all part of proving my innocence. Don't worry, Abel won’t go too hard on me,” Luca assumed.Luke instantly regretted his decision when he heard this.Perhaps it would have been better to hold off a little longer. Regardless of the situation, he would still be worried. Now that things were set in motion, there was no turning back.“Take care of yourself.” He planted a kiss on her forehead.Luca smiled, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry, I'll be fine.”She got out of bed, quickly washed up, and left without eating breakfast.Aunt Neile noticed her rushing out and could not help but a
Everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen. They were too afraid to even blink, worried that they would miss who started the fire. The surveillance footage was playing at double speed. After a while, a figure appeared on the screen.Everyone turned to look at Kyle.Abel narrowed his eyes and stared at him. Kyle rubbed his eyes and realized that the person in the video really was him. He immediately protested, “It’s not me! That can’t be me in there!”Abel pointed at the screen and asked, “Are you sure that’s not you?”“Boss, why would I start a fire? I’ve got no beef with you guys!” Kyle responded in a panic.“Where were you at three in the morning?” Abel asked again. He initially suspected that Luca might have hired someone to set the fire. After all, no one else on the Island of Despair would have had the motive. For someone who was not particularly skilled like Kyle, he would be in deep trouble even if he managed to destroy the base in A City without getting caught. H
Once someone messed with Shanks' research, it did not matter who they were, he would not show any mercy. Luca knew this all too well, so when Shanks said they could not let Kyle off the hook, she did not look surprised. She just kept sorting through the data.Abel could tell Shanks was really mad. After all, days of research had just gone up in smoke, and anyone would be furious in his shoes. Plus, Shanks had endured several tough days in the mountains of X City just to gather those herbs.“I'm not letting him off, but we still need to investigate this thoroughly,” added Abel.“Even if there’s no solid evidence, you’d still beat someone half to death. Abel, this is my research, and it’s what you want. You need to get to the bottom of this. If this isn’t handled properly, I’m not going to continue with the research,” replied Shanks. He could not stand people who casually ruined others' work.“Alright, alright, don’t worry. When the time comes to take action, I won’t hesitate.
After Luca left the hotel, she let out a sigh of relief.She glanced at the car parked across the street, knowing that Luke’s men were definitely watching her from inside.Luca sent a message to Luke, letting him know she was fine and briefly explaining to him what had just happened. She then drove over to Watson.She had only taken the morning off, so she still had to work in the afternoon.Luca was not about to miss work over something so minor. When she got back to the company, it was already the afternoon shift. She headed straight to the lab and started working on experiments with her team.Just before it was time to clock out, Luca stood up and suddenly felt dizzy. She quickly grabbed the table to steady herself.Rhett noticed this and quickly asked, “Dr. Craw, are you feeling unwell?”“I’m feeling a bit dizzy.” Luca felt her vision darken for a moment, but after a while, the feeling passed. “I’m fine now.”“If you’re not feeling well, I can take you to the hospital,” off
Luke remained silent.Luca thought to herself that since it was not a drunk driving or a hit-and-run case, the police would not be able to do much. At most, they would just hold her fully responsible. However, getting hit like this out of the blue… She could not let this slide easily.Luca was not short on money. She just wanted Karen to get the punishment she deserved.“I should’ve let Warren drive,” Luca muttered under her breath. Someone like Warren would have noticed if a car was tailing them.She had been too careless.With Matysh in jail and Karen and Pierre tied up with their own issues, she thought she was safe. She never expected Karen to go this far.“It’s fine. Percy said they’re sending her to a mental institution this time.” Luke gently stroked her head.Luca opened her eyes but felt dizzy, so she quickly shut them again. “Are they really going to send her to a mental institution?” asked Luca.“Yes,” answered Luke.“He's okay with that?” Luca was still skeptic
“Alright.” Luke heard Luca’s request and turned on the TV, but he quickly lowered the volume, finding it too loud. He knew she just wanted some background noise, not something too distracting.Luke continued feeding her the oatmeal. After finishing one bowl, Luca could not eat anymore, so she rested for a bit. Then, Luke gave her the medication Johann had prescribed. Since she was lying down, she ate everything slowly.After taking the medicine, Luca yawned. Even though Johann had not prescribed any sleeping pills, the IV and medication had a calming effect.“If you’re sleepy, go ahead and rest,” suggested Luke.Luca frowned slightly. “But I want to take a bath.”"How about I help you freshen up a bit?" offered Luke, knowing she was not in any condition to take a full bath.“I’d really prefer a proper wash. I was sorting documents this morning, and a lot of people were smoking around me. I feel like the smell has clung to my clothes,” replied Luca as she heaved a sigh. The
Luke nodded to the doctor, indicating his agreement. The doctor returned to his office and prescribed medication for Luca.Ten minutes later, a nurse walked in with the medicine. After watching Luca take it, she advised, “You should rest now. If you feel uncomfortable, just press the call button.”“Okay, thank you.” Luca closed her eyes. Luke gently pulled the blanket over her.After a moment, Luca opened her eyes and said, “Luke, how about you stay with me while I sleep?”"I'm worried I might squish you," replied Luke. Even though the bed in the VIP ward was wider than a standard hospital bed, it was still a single bed. It was not that two people could not fit on it, but he wanted her to rest well.Luca said, “I’ve been having bad dreams. If you stay beside me, I think I’ll sleep better.”“Alright.” Luke agreed and got into bed from the other side.Once he settled in, Luca turned to her side. After getting used to the dizziness, she hugged Luke. He smelled different today
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
“Sure.” Luca was unsure why he was suddenly interested in the volunteers. She led him into the room where the volunteers were.Luke noticed that the volunteer’s legs were covered in needles.If Johann saw this, he would probably make a big fuss about it.Luke watched as Luca carefully removed each needle, checked some of the volunteer’s nerve functions, and offered a few reassuring words before picking up a tray filled with medical waste and leaving the room.Once they were outside, Luke, not having seen the volunteer's previous condition, asked, “Were his legs completely immobile before?”“Yes. He said it was an injury caused by a machine malfunction at the factory. It hadn’t been treated properly for years. By the time he was sent here, his family didn’t have time to help with massages, and his calves had atrophied. But now, as you can see, the muscles are gradually recovering, and he’s starting to regain sensation. In another week or two, his legs should be able to move.” Luca
“Yes.” Luca nodded. “You have a mild fever and some inflammation in your body.”Hera was surprised. “Inflammation? Where?”She often mingled with men, so every few months, she made sure to get a check-up to avoid picking up any unwanted diseases. Her previous check-ups had all been normal, with no signs of any illness.“You've been getting along well with the boss these days, haven't you?” Luca did not say it outright but hinted at it. She then glanced at the thermometer, seeing that her temperature had returned to normal.Hera understood and widened her eyes. “You're saying I have inflammation there? That's impossible.”“Your body can't handle too much.” Luca did not want to go into too much detail. She looked up and saw that the IV was nearly done. She rose to her feet, removed the needle, and pointed at the medicine on the side. “Your body won't have any major issues. Don't worry. Here are the anti-inflammatory pills for the next three days. Take them, and you should be fine.”