Rainie heard her little brother and shook her head.Tommy noticed and asked with confusion “Rainie, did I say something wrong?”“Yes, yes you did!” replied Rainie. “Someone who’s into good looks likes anyone who’s attractive, but our father is very loyal, so he’s not one of those.”“Oh, I get it now.” Tommy was suddenly enlightened.Luke felt a bit helpless. Kids these days… Did they really know everything? Sometimes, he could not even understand what they were talking about.Luke glanced at Luca, feeling a bit lost. Were they getting old? Why did they not understand half of what the kids were saying?Luca caught his gaze, smiled, and said, “Rainie’s right.”Luke felt a little disoriented, realizing that maybe he was the one getting old, not Luca.The wedding banquet had officially begun. Nina, wearing a pristine white wedding dress, opened the doors and slowly walked toward Percy as the music played. All eyes were on her.Several bridesmaids followed behind her.Luca not
Tommy asked, “Daddy, would you say this is a case of wasting a golden opportunity?”“I’d say so,” replied Luke. Even though two million dollars might not be much to them, it was a lot of money for an average family. If Jean had decided to turn his life around, find a job with his degree, and use that two million as a foundation, he could have lived comfortably.Luca was still a bit puzzled. “But didn’t Mr. Mallory give them more than a million?”“Chances are, the rest was squandered away,” answered Luke.Luca’s eyes widened. “How did he blow through that much money?”“He’s always been reckless with money, and with Anna spoiling him, it wouldn’t take long to spend the rest,” replied Luke.Luca thought he had a point and said nothing more.…After seeing off all the guests, Percy settled the bill with the hotel and walked into the bridal suite. Nina had already changed into a red dress, with all the heavy jewelry removed and packed away.“Are all the guests gone?” Upon seein
“What? There's another exit?” Anna's eyes widened. “Is he messing with you? Maybe we should bribe him so that he’ll let us in?”“Do we even have any money left?” Jean kicked the wall in frustration.The security guard inside overheard and warned, “Don't kick the wall! If you break it, you'll have to pay for it.”Annoyed, Jean ran his hand through his hair. His legs were numb from standing too long. He wanted nothing more than to sit down right there. However, their clothes were rented, and if they got them dirty, they would have trouble returning them. He heaved a sigh and said to Anna, “Let's go home.”“We're just leaving like this? What about the money?” Anna glanced inside, clearly unwilling to give up.“We'll have other chances to get the money,” replied Jean.“Today was the best chance! They'd want to avoid any trouble at the wedding, so they'd give us the money more easily.” Anna pouted, clearly displeased.That had been their plan. They knew no one would want a scene at
Jean narrowed his eyes. “What are you getting at?”“That insurance policy you got for your mom. You can figure out a way to get the company to pay out. At least that’ll help get us through this rough patch, right?” Marie thought she was giving him a brilliant suggestion.“You must’ve lost your mind!” Jean exploded in anger. “How dare you even think about targeting my mom?!”To commit insurance fraud, Anna would need to get hurt. If there was no injury, there would be no payout. Even though Jean had fallen on hard times, he would never harm his mother. After all, Anna’s pension was barely enough to get by, and it was the only thing keeping them afloat. If he wanted the wealth and success he once had, he would have to ask Percy for money.Marie looked hurt. “I’m just trying to help you. We’ve got no money left. Don’t you want to start a business again and be the boss?”Jean stayed silent. Of course, he wanted that!As the thought ran through his mind, he cursed under his breath
Anna and Jean knew there was no way the guard would lie to them, so they awkwardly left.…Percy was indeed taking Nina for a post-wedding visit. However, this visit was taking place at Crawford Manor, not Anna’s house.Old Master Crawford had put on a perfectly pressed suit early in the morning and was now sitting on the couch, eagerly waiting for his godson-in-law, Percy, and Nina to arrive. As he watched Mr. Griffin and the maids busy with the preparations, Old Master Crawford was beaming with delight. His smile stretched from ear to ear.“Old Master Crawford, please have some tea,” said Mr. Griffin, bringing a cup of freshly brewed tea.“When will Luke and Luca be here?” asked Old Master Crawford.“Master Luke and Ms. Craw should be arriving soon, and so will Master Louis,” replied Mr. Griffin. He had already checked the status of their arrivals ten minutes ago.Even though Nina was only acknowledged as Old Master Crawford’s god-granddaughter, Old Master Crawford loved the
Before Louis and his wife could respond, Old Master Crawford said, “The child used to be frail, so it’s normal for her to get sick sometimes. Look at her now. She’s full of energy and much more cheerful than before. Was she ever like this when she was living with you?”Louis nodded in agreement with the old master. When Thea lived with Susan, she was timid and had poor mental health. However, ever since they moved out, Louis noticed that Thea was getting happier by the day.Originally, Louis thought it was because he and his wife were too busy and had neglected their child, which caused her emotional issues. Now, he finally realized it was Susan who had been pressuring her all along. Without that pressure, Thea was thriving. Even her psychologist was amazed by the rapid progress she had made and praised them as good parents. However, Louis knew the truth.The reason Thea was doing so well was that he had firmly insisted on taking her out of that environment.Even Susan
Susan glared at her. “You’re always using the child as an excuse. Now that the Crawford family and the Mallory family are on good terms, why don’t you go chat with Mrs. Mallory? The others might think you don’t like her!”Yuri was getting frustrated. She had no desire to talk to Nina, and she was afraid it would look like she was trying to suck up to her. She nudged Louis with her elbow.Louis had been chatting with Luke and Percy, but after his wife nudged him, he turned to look at her. Yuri shot him a look, signaling for him to deal with Susan.Louis understood, but there was nothing he could do. If only he could actually deal with Susan…Susan’s stubbornness was something no one could handle.“You both are a bunch of good-for-nothings!” Susan noticed their glances at each other and got really upset.She was doing this for their own good! Louis was so insistent on running his own company, was he not? If they could form a good relationship with the Mallory family, it wou
“I know where Nina is,” said Jean.As soon as Anna heard this, she stopped worrying about the gift and immediately asked, “Where did that brat go?”“She's with the Crawford family,” answered Jean.Anna thought she had misheard. “What?”“Crawford Manor, as in Luke’s place,” repeated Jean.“That's impossible!” Anna snapped angrily. “I heard that when the Mallory family didn’t approve of Nina and Percy’s marriage, Old Master Crawford stepped in and took Nina as his god-granddaughter, leaving the Mallory family with nothing to say," explained Jean.“Are you kidding me? Even so, she shouldn’t have gone back! They just feel guilty and did her a small favor, and your sister actually bought into it?” Anna stomped her foot in anger. Was the Crawford family determined to take away their family member from them?“Visiting the Crawford family of all places! If it weren’t for them, you'd be at the top of your game right now, and she’s over there? I raised a traitor!”Jean replied, “We’re
“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