Of course, none of Luke's family members ever gave him extra money, not even when he was a child. His grandfather had been strict with him. Susan treated him with hostility. Meanwhile, his mother Allison was the one asking him for money instead. Luke felt extremely emotional as he held the envelope in his hand. The envelope was light, but he felt that it was so heavy that his hands were trembling. Luke did not want to take money from an old man, but the envelope carried a special meaning. He had to take it. "Luke, Grandpa won't let you leave if you don't accept the money. It's a tradition in our family," Bianca said gently as she held onto his arm. She knew how stubborn her grandfather could be. If Luke did not accept the envelope, Old Master Rayne was not going to let him leave. "Thank you, Grandpa," Luke felt that his throat was dry, but his heart was indescribably warm. "We got envelopes too, Daddy! Great-Grandpa and Great Aunt Wanda gave them to us." The two chi
T Corporation advertising department. The interior shooting location was beautifully decorated, and all the employees were busy at work. The shoot was for a commercial of T Corporation's latest Queen series perfumes which would be launched after the new year. It was fragrant, long-lasting, and epitomized feminine charm and allure. The theme of the commercial this time was "obsession." When Bianca stepped into the location, she could see that everyone was busy in their roles. Leia was in a see-through outfit and smokey eye makeup. She was in the middle of a shoot. The crew members were busy attending to her. They took a short break during which the cosmetician touched up Leia's makeup. After that, she returned to the scene. Josef, the director, sat behind a high shutter speed camera. He was talking through the walkie-talkie, telling the lighting technician to turn up the brightness. After the lighting was adjusted, he got cameras 1 and 2 to change their positions. Then
Leia treated Bianca, the designer, as her assistant. Bianca was tasked to fill Leia's water bottle and help her with her lines. Leia even asked her to get coffee from the cafe nearby. She did not give Bianca any chance to rest. Whenever she gave her orders, she did not speak haughtily. Instead, she would gently "beg" and use "Please" to ask for anything, which meant that the other people did not have the chance to criticize her. The employees of the advertising department thought that it was rare for a famous celebrity to behave so humbly. They thought that Bianca should be happy working for her. Normal people would rarely, if ever, get the chance to be a celebrity's assistant. Bianca knew that Leia was purposely making her life difficult, but she tried not to be angry. She was in no position to cross Leia, and she did not want Leia to complain to her father Jack, which might cause trouble for Luke. When she came back with Leia's coffee, she stood next to the director and
Bianca's height was not remarkable, but she had a lean figure. The pure white tube top skirt looked dominating yet elegant on her. The pair of crystal high heels added four inches to her height. "Very good!" Josef exclaimed and gestured a thumbs-up at Bianca. He noticed that Bianca seemed flustered. He patted Bianca's shoulder and said, "Acting can be very easy or very difficult, Ms. Rayne. It's not just about how you look; it's also about how you feel. You just have to put your soul into it. Don't worry, it's just a short commercial. Just relax and treat it as though you're on vacation." Bianca was slightly comforted by Josef's words. It was her first time appearing in front of the camera. She did not have any experience at all. In fact, she felt as though she was forced to do so… Bianca wanted Luke's commercial to be a success. That would be a major contributing factor to the product's sales. No matter how badly Leia might have performed, she was nonetheless a public
Luke frowned when he imagined Bianca appearing on the silver screen for the other men to see and admire. He rejected the idea without giving it a second thought. "There's no need, Mr. Josef. She's not suited for the entertainment industry." However, Josef insisted. "The young lady has great potential. I can guarantee that she'll be famous around the world in just one movie!" Luke believed that Josef had the ability. The director had created more stars in Hollywood than any other director. However, Luke did not want Bianca to enter the chaotic entertainment industry. He expressed his opinion once more, "Mr. Josef, Bianca's interest is in architectural design. She wants to be a famous designer and not a celebrity." "She can be a designer while she works on her acting career. It's just a change in titles. Ms. Rayne can put her acting first and do design on the side. There's no conflict between the two." Seeing that he could not convince Luke, Josef turned his head and asked fo
Luke had a charm that could steal a woman's soul, but he had always kept a polite distance from Leia. Leia did not understand. She had given her all to him, but why did he treat her so coldly? "Mr. Crawford…" Leia pressed her lips together and said coyly. Her thoughts went back to that night when they were entangled on the bed… She kneaded her hands tightly and asked gently, "That night, at my Grandpa's birthday party, have you forgotten what happened between us?" Luke turned to glance at her blushing cheeks coldly. "What could have possibly happened? I was together with Bianca that night. I don't know what might have given you the idea that I like you, but I'm sorry to tell you that the only woman I love is Bianca. That was true in the past, and that is true now. Right, when you go home, please let your mother know that no one can try to meddle in my relationships. Tell her not to cause Bianca any trouble; come to look for me if there's anything. I'll be going off now, Ms. N
After the private detective left, Leia remained on her seat, staring at the cup of coffee that had long gone cold. She pinched her arm and felt the sharp pain. She turned to look at the stack of documents on the table again and finally believed that what happened earlier was real! She had lived as a Norman for so long, and she had treated herself as the one and only Ms. Norman. She had never expected that the true Ms. Norman was still alive and might return to replace her one day. As she thought of Luke, the man she loved, she closed her eyes in agony. She had loved the man for too long. If only the man showed the least bit of tenderness to her, she would be satisfied. Bianca Rayne! Leia cackled hideously. Luke single-mindedly loved that woman with a humble background. If Bianca were truly Jack and Queenie's birth daughter and the truth was revealed one day, Queenie would divert all the love and attention she gave Leia to Bianca. By then, Leia would be abandoned! When
"I'm not judging you, Sue, but it's just that your symptoms look very similar to what I went through when I was pregnant… I mean, a woman should be in charge of her own health. I think you should go to the hospital for a checkup." Bianca knew how helpless a woman could be when they became pregnant before marriage. Back then, she did not know that the father of the babies in her womb was Luke. She had thought that the father was some despicable old man, and that she would never forget the physical and mental torment she went through during her pregnancy. Bianca's words seemed to have convinced Sue. She rubbed her temples, trying to recall something. That night, she had gotten herself drunk at a bar and spent a wild night with a stranger. Her heart nearly stopped when she thought of that. 'That can't be. It's just one night. Why am I so unlucky?' Sue tried to deceive herself that it was not the case. She felt as though her head was going to explode. She felt another wave of
“'ll contact someone in A City to investigate,” said Gale.“Let Percy know while you're at it,” added Luke. “He needs to be aware of this.”“Got it.” Gale hurried off to handle the matter.…After taking Gale's call, Percy hung up and stared icily at the middle-aged man standing before him.Under Percy's chilling gaze, the man nervously dabbed at the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.“Mr. Mallory, my sincerest apologies…” The man, the director of the psychiatric hospital, had come to personally apologize to Percy today.Karen had escaped.Two days ago, Percy admitted Karen to the psychiatric hospital. After an evaluation, the doctors determined her condition warranted hospitalization, so she was admitted.Even though Karen was against it, given her mental state and with the consent of an immediate family member, the hospital was legally authorized to proceed.Percy had even informed the hospital to take special care of Karen. He had explicitly instructed them not to
When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already darkened slightly.Luca mumbled, feeling the warmth beside her. She instinctively curled closer. “What time is it?”“It's a little past five.” Luke gently rubbed her back, offering a quiet comfort to help her feel at ease.Since he could not be there beside her, he could only make these small gestures to bring her some peace of mind.“An entire afternoon just passed like that…” Luca was reluctant to leave at the moment. Her slender fingers lightly pressed against his chest.Luke took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss, holding it as if it were something precious and tenderly stroking it.Luca's hands had once been delicate and smooth, but during their time in the small villa, they had become much rougher.“You've got calluses.” Luke felt sorry for her.Luca gently traced her finger over his lips, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on him. “It’s just from the needlework and the experiments I’ve been d
Luca walked over to another couch and sat down. “I think I’ll stay here. How about letting Luke come down so that we can all catch up? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”Gordan’s face fell. “Ms. Craw, are you doing this on purpose?”Luca pretended not to know anything. “Doing what on purpose?”Gordan quickly shook his head. “Nothing. Just go upstairs already. Brother Luke’s been waiting for you.”Luca had intended to tease Gordan a little longer, but after not seeing Luke for the past few days, she found herself missing him deeply. Standing up with a smile, she said, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Oh, by the way, Mr. Gale, could you help me pick up a few things? Someone over there asked me to get them, and I couldn’t refuse.”“Sure, no problem. What do you need?” Gale agreed immediately.After handing him the list, Luca turned and headed upstairs.Gale watched Luca leave from behind, nudging Gordan’s arm. “Let’s go. We should leave and give the boss and Ms. Cr
The security guard remained completely unfazed.This was because the village chief was his uncle, and in their tight-knit community, they always stuck together and never favored outsiders.With directions from the people inside the ancestral hall, Hera found the village chief.“You’re the village chief, right?” Hera looked at the man in his fifties in front of her and spoke with an arrogant tone, completely unbothered.“And you are?” The village chief, seeing her attitude, was puzzled. He had no idea whether she was an investor or someone looking to discuss a major partnership to bring development to their quiet village.“It doesn’t matter who I am. I see you have surveillance here, and I need to review your footage,” replied Hera.The village chief was even more confused. “Are you a police officer?”“No.” Hera frowned. She thought reviewing surveillance footage was no big deal. Why was this village chief being so difficult?The village chief gave her a look as if she were a fo
“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