After about a dozen needles, Gordan was in so much pain he started questioning himself. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and his back was drenched in cold sweat. It was 38 degrees Fahrenheit outside, yet here he was, sweating from the sheer pain.He realized the pain from being shot was nothing compared to this. This was real agony. His mind wandered, pondering the meaning of life. Was he meant to endure this kind of suffering?Just as he was spiraling into these thoughts, Luca spoke up, “Last one.”As the final needle went in, he could not help but let out a loud yelp.The sound was so startling that Aunt Neile, who had just come in with groceries, jumped.“What’s going on?” Aunt Neile hurried over.Gale quickly reassured her, “It’s fine, Aunt Neile. Dr. Craw is just giving Gordan treatment.”Aunt Neile wondered if treatment should hurt that much? She glanced at Gordan, whose face had gone pale. However, since Luke and Luca seemed calm, she nodded and left, thoug
Gordan decided to stay after thinking about it. He felt like he was making a bold choice.He headed upstairs to join Luke and Gale for their meeting.Luca stepped out of the storage room, and by then, Gordan had already gone upstairs. She shook her head helplessly, knowing that things would turn tense once Vivian arrived. She really could not talk to Vivian about Gordan right now, or else it might lead to a misunderstanding.Luca carried the herbs and walked into the kitchen.Aunt Neile was making soup. When she saw the herbs in Luca's hands, she asked, “Ms. Craw, are you brewing herbal medicine for Mr. Norton?”“Yes.” Luca gave the herbs a quick rinse, placed them in the electric herbal pot, then set the timer. She would not need to worry about it for a while now.“Poor Mr. Norton, going through painful dry needling treatment and now having to drink such bitter medicine.” Even though Aunt Neile sounded sympathetic, there was a mischievous smile at the corners of her mouth.Lu
Vivian froze for a moment. She hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded in acknowledgment.She was confused. Why had Luca not told her that Gordan was around? If she had known, she definitely would not have come.“You two are in the past. Are you really going to avoid it for the rest of your life?” asked Luca. “Besides your university friends, you’ll inevitably have mutual acquaintances with him. Vivian, you need to take that step forward. Be brave. Don’t let this mess with your emotions or your social life. Running away won’t solve anything. You’ve got to learn to face it.”Vivian pressed her lips tightly together.She had shamefully run away after the divorce. However, it was just to make herself feel better. She had not really thought too much about it.Luca continued, “And knowing how sensitive you are, I figured if I told you ahead of time that Gordan was here, you might have misunderstood that I didn’t want you to come or that we chose him over you. "The truth is, adult
Luke's eyes darkened a little. At this point, it was clear they needed Luca. She was the only one who knew the layout of the Island of Despair.Gale asked, “Should we call in Dr. Craw now?”“I’ll go,” replied Luke. He rose to his feet and headed downstairs.Luca was chatting with Vivian when she saw Luke come down. “Coffee?”“No.” Luke glanced at Vivian. Then, after a moment, he said, “Miss Vivian, can I borrow Luca for a bit?”Vivian chuckled and replied, “She’s all yours anyway.”Luca stood up and said to Vivian, “Vivian, why don’t you check out the magazines? I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.”“Luca, don’t worry about me. I know my way around here.” Vivian waved her phone and added, “If I need anything, I’ll ask Aunt Neile. Plus, I have the TV and my phone... There's no way I’m getting bored.”“Oh, and there are two game consoles in the drawer if you feel like playing,” Luca assured her before following Luke upstairs into the bedroom.“Dr. Craw, we could really use your hel
All Luca could do at this point was help him feel at ease.“Okay.” Luke nodded.When Gordan heard him mention Vivian, he could not help but frown. “Why do you care about her, Dr. Craw?”Luca shot him a helpless glance but did not respond. Instead, she said, “I’m heading downstairs.”Then, she turned around and walked out of the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind her.Gordan was left feeling puzzled. “Did I say something wrong, boss?”“With Dr. Craw getting chummy with Vivian, what do you expect? She’s not going to let that slide,” teased Gale.Gordan clicked his tongue. He knew that women usually defended each other, but he did not think Luca was that kind of person. Still, she seemed pretty annoyed with what he said.At the thought of this, Gordan decided he needed to be more careful with his words around Luca in the future. Otherwise, he would just be asking for trouble.…Downstairs, Luca found Vivian deeply engrossed in a book.“What are you reading?” Luca asked
There was a hint of awkwardness on Gordan’s face.There was no way he could argue against what Lanie said. The more he thought about it, the more he realized those words could really distract the kids from their homework.Luke glanced at his son. Then, he turned to Gale and asked, “Feel like having a drink?”“From your wine cellar?” Gale’s eyes lit up.“Yes.” Luke nodded.“Of course! Count me in!” Gale replied enthusiastically. He then remembered Gordan could not drink and teased him, “We’ll be enjoying ourselves, but someone here won’t be so lucky. No drinking for him!”Gordan rolled his eyes but remained silent.“Go pick a bottle, Gordan. You can have it once you’ve recovered,” added Luke. He knew Gordan was not exactly great at controlling himself around alcohol.“Thanks.” Gordan’s eyes lit up as well, the thought of good wine brightening his mood a little.The three of them headed to the wine cellar.After Gordan left, Vivian visibly relaxed. She was still trying to get u
For the first time, Gordan realized that being the center of attention was not all it was cracked up to be. Like now, in front of him sat a mug of bitter medicine. He hated bitter stuff, including herbal medicine. However, everyone was watching him now.He knew if he did not drink it, there would be no getting out of this. Worse still, people might think he was disrespecting Luca’s effort.Gordon braced himself and picked up the mug, only to feel the heat burning his fingers. With an awkward chuckle, he said, “This stuff’s a bit hot. How about I let it cool for a few minutes?” Really, he just needed a few minutes to mentally prepare himself.Luca slightly frowned and gently reminded him, “Mr. Norton, this medicine has to be taken while it's hot. The ingredients are too valuable to waste the effects.”Gordan furrowed his brows together. Was she telling him to drink it now?However, it was not just bitter. It was burning hot!Tommy, noticing his hesitation, flashed an innocen
As soon as Gale finished speaking, Rainie’s expression changed. “Uncle Gale.”“Yes, Rainie?” Gale looked at her with all the love in the world.“I'm on a call with Ms. Rain.” Rainie held out her phone for him to see, showing that they were on a call.“Oh no,” Gale muttered just as Rain’s voice boomed from the other end of the line. “Gale!”He jumped back at the shout. “Rain, let me explain!”“You don’t need to explain. Don’t even think about eating my cooking again!” Rain snapped before hanging up.Everyone’s eyes were now on Gale.“Am I in deep trouble now?” asked Gale. An hour ago, he had been enjoying the show. Now, he was the one being watched.Tommy nodded and replied, “Uncle Gale, you’re in big trouble! Are you gonna get body-slammed when you go home?”“Getting body-slammed is one thing, but I’m more worried she’ll come at me with a knife,” muttered Gale, shivering at the thought of it. He glanced at Luke.“You have to own up to what you say.” Luke sat there, not pl
“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