Susan, undeterred by the warning, shot back, “Isn't all his money from T Corporation? Father, what you said was pointless.”Old Master Crawford glared at her fiercely. “If you were given a chance to work at the company, do you think you could earn that much money?”Susan’s family background was quite wealthy. She was raised as a pampered young lady, so she never learned how to make money. Once she realized this, she chose to become a housewife in the Crawford family and stopped considering working at the company. She focused on raising Louis, planning for him to work at the company once he grew up. Little did she expect that after Louis worked at T Corporation for a few years, he would start his own business, leading to a conflict between them. It felt like a slap in the face!Susan’s face turned slightly pale as she muttered, “I...”“Enough! You can’t make money yourself, so why are you even talking? Luke's the one bringing in the cash, and in the end, aren’t you the one benef
Luca glanced at Luke, silently asking for his input. He gave a slight nod, signaling his approval.Luca replied, “Alright, we’ll be there. What time is it in the evening? Where’s the venue?”“I’ll send you the exact time and location later. Don’t worry, Dr. Craw. It won’t run too late,” Gale reassured her, knowing they had kids to take care of. Since Luca was out, Aunt Neile would probably have to stay late at home to help.“Great, we’ll definitely be there.” Luca smiled as she hung up the phone.“What’s he planning?” asked Luke. From what he overheard, it almost sounded like Gale was about to confess his feelings to Luca. However, Gale was not that type of person, so Luke was curious about who had caught Gale’s interest.“You don't know?” Luca was surprised. Luke always seemed to know everything, like when Percy started liking Nina, but he missed Gale’s feelings for Rain?Luke shook his head, indicating he had no idea. He had spoken to Gale earlier today, but he seemed bus
Luke was startled for a moment, feeling as though history was repeating itself.Luca covered her mouth, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Everything felt too coincidental. Suddenly, Luca recalled that there was this saying, a son could be a father’s nemesis.Tommy had interrupted them twice today.Luke’s expression turned dark as he turned around to look at his son. “Why aren’t you in bed? What are you doing out here?”“Daddy, I just finished washing up. I really want a glass of water.” Tommy then added, “The food at Crawford Manor was a bit salty this time, and I’m really thirsty.”“I’ll get you some water,” said Luca as she headed downstairs.Luke approached Tommy, looking down at him from above.Realizing he had spoiled his parents’ moment, Tommy gave a sheepish smile. “Daddy, I didn’t mean to.”“From now on, make sure to get yourself a glass of water before bed and keep it in the bedroom. No more running out for water all the time,” Luke said to his son wi
“Amazing, this scene is beautiful! Can you do some more intimate poses?” asked the photographer.“Of course.” Percy and Nina struck a few close poses together.They had been together for several years, which meant they had forged a deep bond that made them perfectly in sync. Whenever Nina struck a pose, Percy instinctively knew how to complement it.After the shoot, the photographer asked for their email address, promising to send the photos as a thank-you once they were ready.Once the photographer left, Percy and Nina returned to their hotel. As soon as they stepped in, Nina’s phone automatically powered on after plugging it in. In an instant, several notifications popped up.“Sue has called me multiple times.” Nina glanced at Percy. “Is it something urgent? Did she contact you?”She had forgotten to charge her phone before going to bed last night, so it remained off while she was out.Percy shook his head. “She didn’t call me. You should call her back and see what’s up.”“
A video of Nina and Percy's wedding was playing. Leaning against Percy, Nina nibbled on the fruit the hotel had sent up while watching the video and reliving the joy of their wedding day.“Percy, we'll be happy together forever,” muttered Nina just as the video showed Percy reciting his vows.“Yes, we'll be happy forever,” replied Percy as he laced his fingers through hers.Nina smiled sweetly. As she watched their two figures on screen, she suddenly asked, “Would you prefer a boy or a girl for our first child?”Without hesitation, Percy replied, “Either one. I'll love them just because they're ours.”“In that case, let's have a boy first, and a girl second. That way, we'll have both a son and a daughter, and the older brother can look out for his little sister.” Nina had it all planned. Even though they knew the gender was not something they could decide, it was a lovely wish they shared.“Then, my love, shouldn’t we start working on our son right now?” Percy’s voice took on
A couple of days ago, Gale told him that they were brothers who would stick together through thick and thin. Whoever started dating first would be a dog.Now, Gale was willing to be that dog!Luke took a sip of the lemon water Luca had been drinking. “Feeling a bit jealous?”“He didn’t stick to the promise of being single together,” Gordan vented to them both.“He dragged me out for drinks a few days ago, talking about how we were in this together, and now, he’s getting ready to confess his feelings? Who says women are the only ones who are fickle? Men can be just as unpredictable!” added Gordan, still grumbling.Luke shot him a cold glance. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you had a crush on Gale.”“Ugh, come on!” exclaimed Gordan, spitting out in disgust. “I’m not into guys.”“Mr. Norton, if you don’t feel that way about Mr. Gale, then why the long face? Could it be…” Even though Luca thought it was unlikely, she decided to tease him and deliberately changed her express
“Rain, I’m someone who has always been slow to understand my own feelings. After all these years, I’ve finally realized how special my feelings for you are. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for always being there for me. I’m so grateful you came into my life. "Today, I’d like us to take the next step forward. I hope you’ll give me this chance. Rain, I like you. I don’t even know when it started, but I’m deeply in love with you now. Will you be my girlfriend?”Gale gripped the champagne roses tightly in his hands. His heart was pounding, thumping like crazy as he waited for her answer.Rain did not keep him waiting long.She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, then let out a little laugh and smiled brightly. Taking the champagne roses from his hand, she nodded and replied, “Yes, I will.”“Hurray!” Applause erupted from everyone around them.Luke and Luca also stood up, joining in the applause to celebrate the happy couple.Music soon began to flow fro
As Allison stepped out, she spotted Luke and tugged at the scarf around her neck. Quickly, she walked over with Sophian.“Why did you park so far away? I'm about to be burned by the heat!” Allison complained to him in frustration.Luke replied in a cold voice, “There was no parking over there. If you’re feeling hot, maybe you should wear less.”Allison’s expression soured. She would have liked to dress lighter. However, her skin was not in good shape. If she exposed it, people might get scared. She definitely did not want to return to A City only to have kids pointing at her and calling her a witch.Sophian, hearing the conversation between them, decided to chime in and remind them of her presence. “Mr. Crawford, Ms. Allison's skin is in really bad shape right now. She can’t be exposed to the wind, so she has to bundle up.”It was as though Luke did not hear her at all. He ignored her and opened the trunk to load all the luggage inside.Then, he settled into the driver’s seat.
“Wait a little longer. By the way, what kind of ancestral hall is this?” asked Hera.“It's a local family's ancestral hall. I heard it's been designed by the owner of a large company, and now it's also one of the tourist attractions.” The taxi driver was not from around here, so he did not know all the details, but he knew it had become a popular spot. “Now, thanks to the reputation of that boss, many architects come here as one of their reference points.”Hera frowned deeper. What was Luca doing here?The driver suggested, “If you're interested in sightseeing, the attractions inside are pretty good. But for outsiders, they charge an entrance fee. Maintenance costs a lot of money, so they charge tourists from outside.”“I'm not here for sightseeing,” replied Hera, “Don't worry. I'll pay you for however long I stay here. You’ll get your money.”The driver heard that she was paying, and did not press her further and remained quiet.Hera stared at the entrance of the ancestral hall,
Hera let out a cold sneer, feeling that Gerald's apology was not sincere.Hera did not want to press the issue at the moment. She gave him a sharp look. “Come with me.”Gerald knew that Hera was up to something again. If it were a normal order, she would have just said it in the living room. Whenever she called him aside, it meant whatever she had to say could not be overheard by others.Reluctantly, Gerald followed her out.It was midday, and as soon as Hera stepped out of the living room, a wave of heat hit her face.The intense warmth made her feel uncomfortable.Hera got straight to the point, turning to Gerald. “What did Luca say to you just now?”“She just asked me to help keep an eye on the volunteer,” Gerald answered honestly. This was not something that needed to be kept secret.Hera frowned. “Is she going out”Gerald hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say anything.“I’m talking to you, not the wall. Are you mute?” Hera threatened. “If you lie to me, I’ll te
Gordan was puzzled. At most, it was just brotherly camaraderie. After all, they had been through thick and thin together. Their bond might be stronger than usual, but falling in love? That was a bit of a stretch.Luke said, “The way you acted just now, doesn't really seem 'straight' to me. Also, if you're into women, maybe you should consider finding one. Otherwise, if you're always single, people might start misinterpreting your feelings for me.”“Luke, actually, you're not bad at all. In fact, you're probably better than a lot of women,” Gordan replied with a sly grin.As a man himself, he honestly thought Luke was a great guy. If he were a woman, he would be utterly captivated by him.“Shut up!” Luke knew he was joking, but he still felt a chill run down his spine. He seriously worried that Gordan might do something inappropriate when he turned his back on him.Shivering from the thought, Luke put down his glass and headed upstairs.Gordan let out a deep sigh.The night w
“Anyway, I'm saying it here—I'm not going to Russia because of that ugly woman, Vivian. If I go to Russia, it's for you. I've already divorced her. Besides, I’m already trying to avoid her, how could I possibly go to Russia for her?” Gordan took a sip of red wine, then continued his rant. “And, Ray is still in Russia. I really can't go. His men are all brutal, and I've had enough of being beaten all these years.”“Then why did you buy an apartment in Vivian's neighborhood?” Luke continued to tease him. His sharp eyes glinted with intelligence.Gordan denied it, but whether he believed it or not was his own business.“It was just a coincidence!” Gordan raised his voice, trying to convince Luke.Or maybe himself.“Coincidence?” Luke sipped his wine, every gesture as graceful as a nobleman.“Of course, it’s a coincidence, Brother Luke. You wouldn’t know, but that apartment is in a school district, surrounded by college towns. There are a ton of hotties there, I picked the place just
As Luca listened to his tone that was full of regret, she felt a slight pang in her heart. She recalled when she had a child and continued pursuing her education. If she had given up on herself back then, perhaps she and Luke would not find themselves here today.Luca felt she was much more fortunate than the volunteer. Even though she loved her father, she also understood the importance of education and did not let her father’s illness cause her to give up. She was also fortunate to have a father who supported her education.At the thought of this, Luca could not help but ask, “Do you regret it?”“No, I don’t regret it,” the volunteer smiled. “Actually, I always look at it in a positive light. Back then, several boys in my class liked her. If I hadn’t confessed, she might have become someone else’s girlfriend. If there’s anything I regret over the years, it’s that I was too selfish and it affected her studies.“I never thought that being in a relationship at a young age would
As Luca thought about it, she heard the volunteer exclaim, “With a wife like you, your husband must be so lucky and blessed.”Luca shook her head. To her, being cherished by Luke was a real blessing.“You’ve got it wrong. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”Luca had often wondered what her life would have been like without Luke.Perhaps she would have married Jean, only to watch his true nature slowly reveal itself. She would have struggled, eventually unable to endure it, and maybe even ended up divorced.It could be something worse. She might have been taken advantage of, lost all hope, and spiraled downward...Anything was possible.However, Luca knew that no matter what happened, life would not be as good as it was now without Luke.Though she remained under someone else’s control, and life on the Island of Despair was fraught with hardship, with Luke by her side, she felt an unshakable courage.A light laugh from the volunteer interrupted her thoughts.Luca
The volunteer did not mind. As long as it meant he could recover, he was willing to endure any pain. “It's okay. I can handle it.”Luca nodded.The door to the vehicle opened, and a man stepped inside. Due to the lack of sterilization, he did not dare approach the inner part of the vehicle. Instead, he placed several bottles of saline on the outside.“This is the saline that Mr. Shanks prepared. He asked you to inject it when you can,” the man relayed Shanks' message.“Got it.” Luca reached out to take the bottles. After thoroughly disinfecting them, she brought them inside.It was more complicated than being in a hospital.Since the volunteer's body was still weak. They had to maintain as sterile an environment as possible.However, it still fell short of the ICU's standard.Luca stayed with the volunteer until evening. Gerald stood outside the medical vehicle and called, “Ms. Craw, it's time for dinner.”Luca took off her protective gear and stepped outside.“Ms. Craw, di
“Don’t worry, it won’t affect you in the slightest,” said Abel.The villa was bought under Shanks’ name.So while it appeared to be the Island of Despair’s property, it was, in fact, Shanks’ personal asset.Abel shot a glance at his subordinates, who stood beside him. Without hesitation, they grabbed the doctor and hauled him away.As Hera watched the scene unfold, she felt a sudden pang of unease. She was well aware of Abel's methods. Punishment was never off the table. However, seeing the way things were unfolding, Hera could not shake the feeling that Abel might actually take the doctor’s life.Still, they were in A City, a country with strict laws. Would Abel really go that far?As Abel turned to leave, Hera said almost nervously, “Darling…”“I have some matters to take care of. Be good and stay here. Don’t wander around, okay?” Abel’s mood was apparently lifted by the successful surgery. His voice was unexpectedly gentle.Hera’s unease only deepened. She grabbed the slee
All three of them stepped out of the vehicle.Hera realized that the surgery might already be over and could not wait to hear the results.Abel, equally eager, immediately asked as soon as he saw them, “Is the surgery finished?”“Yes, the surgery was successful. The transplant was completed, and all the nerves we could connect have been repaired. Now, it’s up to the follow-up treatment,” answered Shanks.The doctor who had been kicked out earlier stared in disbelief.They actually succeeded in the transplant? How was that even possible?“Great, fantastic!” Abel let out a sigh of relief before bursting into laughter.What had seemed impossible in modern medicine had achieved a different outcome in Shanks’ hands.Unlike others who might celebrate the medical breakthrough, Abel’s joy came from a more personal place—Kassy would soon return to his side. His delight was unmistakable.“T-This can’t be!” muttered the dismissed doctor, who was still in shock. “A surgery this revoluti