Meanwhile, Nina was curled up on the hospital bed, sleeping. However, nightmares continually tormented her, which made her unable to rest. The clarion ring of her phone woke her up from her nightmare. She took a deep breath and saw that it was her mother calling her. Reflexively, she answered the call. "Hello, Mom…" she said weakly. Anna's harsh voice was heard over the phone. "You've finally answered the phone! Do you still remember that you have a mother? Where have you been for the past month and a half? You don't come back home, but you also don't call me. What's the point of me raising you, you ingrate? Have you been sleeping with another man? Get back home this instant! The money that you gave me the last time is no more. Think of some way to get me more money!" Nina was covered in a thick blanket, but she could not stop shivering. The person on the other end of the call was her mother. After Nina went missing for a month and a half, all she got from her mother was in
Nina was still recovering from an operation and she could barely move. Her mother came to ask for money from her and was not even concerned about her wellbeing. Did Nina have any conscience? Did she deserve to be a mother? When the door opened, the people in the ward turned to look in that direction. Nina's eyes were full of pain and confusion. The young nurse looked visibly relieved. Anna gritted her teeth and became angrier. "Bea…" Nina said hoarsely. Her lips were dry and cracked. She sounded very aggrieved, like a bullied little animal who did not know how to retaliate. Bianca's heart wrenched when she saw Nina like that. She walked over and placed her handbag next to Nina's pillow. She wiped Nina's tears from her eyes and said, "Don't be angry. All you need to do now is rest. You shouldn't be agitated. That won't be good for your recuperation. Understand?" Before Nina could say anything, Anna's plump body waddled over. She pointed a finger at Bianca and sta
Bianca wanted to stay the night with Nina, but Nina insisted that she leave. "The nurses at the hospital will be able to take care of me. You don't have to spend your entire day with me," Nina said. "Lanie and Rainie are still young, and they need their mother's company," she continued, "If you stay here, what should the kids do if they miss their Mommy?" Also, Luke had been calling Bianca non-stop. Bianca did not get to stay in the hospital but instead returned to Luke's mansion. She had just stepped into the mansion when she realized that something was amiss. However, she could not say exactly what it was. When she opened the front door, she was utterly shocked by what she saw! The entire house had transformed into a sea of flowers. The wall in the middle was decorated with balloons of all colors and shapes. Pink gauze fabric surrounded the living room, which added a romantic touch to the pastoral scene. An exquisite cake was placed in the middle of the table. T
Bianca looked at Luke infatuatedly. The man whom she loved was like a perfect creation from heaven. His eyes, his nose, his lips, his silhouette; every feature was perfect. His character was cold and aloof, but he seemed so gentle when he smiled. Luke handed the bouquet of roses to Bianca and said, "Happy birthday." The roses were fresh in the middle of winter, and the bouquet was adorned with Canadian goldenrods. It was exquisite and beautiful. The roses of different colors were fragrant and elegant. It carried the meaning: All these colors say I love you. That will be my lifelong promise. Women are romantic creatures. They could not withstand the temptation of flowers. Bianca was shocked as she took the bouquet. "Thank you," she said, surprised. That was not the first time that she received flowers from a man. Jean used to give her flowers on special occasions to gain her favor, but her sentiments back then were different from now. Luke had a serious personality,
Luke hugged Bianca in his arms. He wrapped his strong arms around her delicate waist and showered her with indulgent kisses. The kisses that carried the fragrance of cream, cherry, and strawberry seemed to be especially tasty. Bianca was lost in the man's gentle kisses. His embrace was too warm, and the light was too gentle. Luke's long eyelashes seemed almost transparent under the light, and Bianca was moved by his unbelievably gentle expression. The kisses lasted for a very long time until Luke's hands started to reach beneath her shirt. Bianca came to her senses. "Luke, shall we… eat some cake for now?" The handsome man hugged her body dominatingly and said hoarsely, "All I want to eat now is you." Those words made Bianca's heart thump faster. Bianca noticed that the two children were not there. She pushed herself away from his embrace. "Um, let's finish the birthday celebration first… Where's Lanie and Rainie?" She had always been afraid whenever Luke looked at
The next day was Saturday. After Bianca and the children had breakfast, she brought them to meet their maternal grandfather. Luke wanted to go along, but he received an important call from the company and had to return to the office. He would join them for lunch later. Luke apologized to her, but Bianca thought that it was no issue. After all, Luke bore a lot of responsibility helming a multinational company. She felt sorry for Luke sometimes. As a wage-earner, she had two rest days every week. On the other hand, whenever Luke got busy, he could work days and nights without rest. Luke asked Lowry, his driver, to send Bianca and the two children over. Old Master Rayne lived in a scenic neighborhood in the Nordlong Lake district. The neighborhood was built near a mountain range and a lake, and the place had fresh air and beautiful scenery. It was far from the bustle of the city, but it boasted a complete range of amenities, including a hospital, a physiotherapy center, a park
Wanda poured a cup of hot tea for Bianca. She also brought out a lot of healthy snacks for the cute twins. Wanda loved the two children a lot. She could not bear children because of her health, and that was one of the biggest regrets in her life. That was why she gave all her love and care to Lanie and Rainie. The two children quickly familiarized themselves with their Great Aunt Wanda. "Are you used to living here, Grandpa?" Bianca sat on the couch and started chatting with Old Master Rayne. "This place is great. I wasn't too used to it at the start, but it grew on me. The environment here is good, and the caretaker attends to all my needs. I often go for walks around the neighborhood and find many friends of my age. I've never imagined that I'd be able to enjoy such a good life. The neighbors were right, Bianca. I'm so lucky because of you!" Old Master Rayne said emotionally. After toiling for many years, it was finally his turn to relax and enjoy life. When his son K
Everything served at lunch was home-cooked, but it had a full spread of meats, an assortment of vegetables, and Old Master Rayne's favorite sake. Luke had found out about Old Master Rayne's favorite sake brand from Bianca. He took a long detour on the way and bought it. After serving the rib stew on the table, Bianca sat down next to Luke. She scooped some stew into her grandfather's plate and said, "Grandpa, I've learned how to cook from recipe books. Try them. I hope that you'll like it." Most of the dishes were Old Master Rayne's favorites, while the others were Luke's favorite dishes. Old Master Rayne patted Luke's shoulders and heaped praise on his granddaughter. "My granddaughter is pretty good, right? Look at all the dishes served on the table. Not only do they look good, but they taste good too. I'm already drooling from the smell alone. You're so lucky to marry my Bianca. She's been a good girl since young, but she is too soft. She won't complain even if someone wron
“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.”
Gerald was relatively strong. However, he tried to avoid touching other parts of Hera's body, making it quite difficult to carry her. By the time they reached the third floor, he was out of breath.Luca, however, seemed to handle it better than he did.“Ms. Craw, aren't you tired?” Gerald could not help but ask as he set Hera down on the bed, panting.Luca glanced at him and replied, “I'm not tired because I'm not worried about touching other parts of her.”Gerald, whose hands were on his hips, was out of breath and muttered, “This is the first time I've realized how exhausting it is to carry a woman upstairs.”After positioning Hera properly, Luca took her pulse and frowned. “Did she mention feeling unwell earlier?”“Yeah, but wasn't she pretending? She was crying, throwing a fit, and making a scene downstairs. It was quite the performance,” Gerald recalled, chuckling at the memory of Hera trying to cling to Luke and failing.Luca switched to her other hand to take Hera's pulse
Abel did not have much of an impression of Lucius. However, he believed he would not lie to him. If Lucius had actually done something to betray him, he would not have been foolish enough to admit that Hera had tried to seduce him.Abel studied his face. Lucius was not handsome, and his physique was not any different from the other people in the organization. His gaze then shifted to Hera. “You didn’t do anything?” Hera could feel the chilling intensity in his eyes, and she could not help but shiver.“A man had to step forward to file a complaint because you were harassing him, Hera. Have I been too lenient with you?” Abel continued, his voice light, almost indifferent. Still, the underlying menace was unmistakable. Despair filled Hera as she shot a resentful look at Luke. How could he be so ruthless, pushing her toward the brink of destruction?“Hera, look at me,” Abel commanded coldly, his hand suddenly gripping her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.Hera knew she had no
Luke stood still, waiting as Hera had instructed.Hera, on the other hand, walked toward the door with a look of eager anticipation on her face.Gerald stepped forward. “Are you crazy? She told you to wait, and you’re just standing there? Hurry up and go upstairs.”"Isn't she trying to cause trouble? Do you think I can just walk away from that?" Luke suddenly asked.Gerald was rendered speechless. What Luke said made sense, so he patted his shoulder. “I heard everything Hera said to you in the garden. Pal, I respect you for being a man, but this time, you’re on your own.”Luke remained expressionless. His gaze was fixed on Hera, who was now smiling brightly as she linked arms with Abel. Even so, his face betrayed no emotion.Hera noticed that Luke, just as she had instructed, was standing there without moving. Her irritation flared up.If he was too stubborn to bow his head and beg for mercy, then she would not hold back!“Darling, I’ve been so upset today without you around."
Sensing the looming danger fading away, Hera furiously demanded, “What is wrong with that man?”Gerald let out a sigh of relief. He had been truly worried that Shanks might take a few swipes at Hera.It was common knowledge that medical professionals could be terrifyingly skilled. They could cut with precision, avoiding vital organs, leaving you in excruciating pain but far from death.Gerald had witnessed Luca’s expertise in this field and knew Shanks likely had the same skills. That was why he would not dare provoke him.If Hera ended up hurt and miserable, Abel would hold them accountable for failing to protect her. Shanks, however, would walk away unscathed. The blame would fall squarely on them.“Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Shanks doesn’t like people entering his lab without permission. Everything in there is extremely valuable to him.” Even though Gerald did not understand why, it was what the others told him, and he dutifully passed on the message.“I knocked, and he told me to come
Not only did Luke not give in, but he wasn't intimidated by Hera's threats either. Instead, he turned the tables and intimidated her right back.Gerald could not help but feel a sense of admiration for Luke. If it had been him in that situation, he would not have had the guts to refuse Hera outright. Even if he did not want to comply, who would dare offend the boss’ future wife?Even though her position was not set in stone, for now, Hera’s status remained unshakable. Yet Luke did not try to curry favor with her. Faced with threats and temptation, he stood his ground, even flipping the situation to intimidate her instead.Gerald quietly gave a thumbs-up.“This guy’s the real deal,” he muttered to himself.After venting her frustration on the tree, Hera stormed back. Her eyes were red and swollen.When she came to the second floor, she caught sight of Luca stepping out of the lab with a tray in hand. She quickly approached.“Stop right there!” Hera snapped sharply.Luca frow
A flash of disgust flickered in Luke's eyes. He was completely fed up with Hera's relentless pestering.“If you have something to say, just say it here.” Unlike other men, he did not address her politely as 'Ms. Sanchez'.His tone was so indifferent, and he did not even bother to call her by name.Hera’s smile did not falter. She thought he was only acting this distance because there were so many people around, and he could not openly show his affection for her.Hera replied in a soft voice, “It’s something important, and they won’t be able to help. Come with me.”Luke frowned and remained motionless.People around them grew envious.Even if Luke did not actually have a romantic interest in her, just helping Hera would be enough to earn points in their boss’ eyes. Their jealousy turned into playful teasing.“The boss’ girlfriend’s asking for help. Just go already. What’s with the cold act? It’s no fun,” teased one of them.Others chimed in, “Yeah, seriously. Just go. Who are y
“I know you’re not interested in her, but still, we should be cautious,” Luca joked, trying to lighten the mood.She was actually worried that Hera’s feelings for Luke might interfere with their plans.Luca looked at him with concern. “You weren’t in your room last night. If she really went to your room, she must've noticed your absence. How will you explain that?”“There are plenty of reasons I could give.” Luke already had an explanation in mind.However, if Hera really had feelings for him and stayed here, it would definitely cause him some trouble.“Just be careful.” Luca felt helpless. Abel’s sudden appearance had already messed up a lot of their plans.There was no way for her to leave this little villa now.With Abel bringing Hera here and her developing feelings for Luke, it was bound to cause more trouble for him later.Luca felt frustrated. She had enough trouble on her own. She did not want Luke to get caught up in trouble too. She had never intended for him to be