When she heard her daughter sleep-talking, Bianca could not help but reach out and gently hold Rainie's hand. The little girl's hand was slightly cool. Bianca tried to warm it with her hand. Rainie sensed her mother's grip. She moaned softly and opened her eyes. "Mommy?" She called out coyly, still half-asleep. Bianca tucked her daughter into the blanket and said gently, "Are you awake, Rainie? It's still early. You should continue sleeping." Rainie rubbed her eyes with her other hand and said expectantly, "Mommy, is Daddy home yet? I dreamed of Daddy just now. He bought many toys for Big Bro and me, and he also said that he'd bring us to the theme park… Mommy, Daddy has been on a business trip for so long. When will he be back? I really, really miss Daddy…" Bianca tried hard not to cry when she heard her daughter say that. She patted Rainie's head and said softly, "Daddy will come back. If you finish your food and go to school every day and listen to what Mommy says, Dad
"I believe you've met Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie before, Bea, and I don't think I need to introduce them to you. They're here at home today because they want to meet you." "They want to meet me?" Bianca looked doubtfully at Jack and Queenie. "Is there something, Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie?" Queenie's lips trembled. She stood up from the couch, took out a test report, and nervously handed it to Bianca. The nanny picked up the baby in Bianca's arms. Bianca looked at the test report. She could understand what was going on when she saw the words "DNA Test Report" on the cover page. At the bottom of the last page, when she saw that her DNA shared a 99.9% similarity with Jack and Queenie, all her doubts instantly disappeared. She looked at Queenie, feeling rather perplexed, and called out, "Aunt Queenie…" Queenie looked at Bianca with sparkling eyes and held her hand, unable to contain her excitement. "I hope you don't mind that I secretly took a few strands of your hair for
Bianca held the children's hands, walked in front of Mr. and Mrs. Norman, and patted the children's heads. "Lanie, Rainie, greet your grandparents." The two cute twins stood up straight and called out at the same time. "Nice to meet you, Grandpa and Grandma. I'm Lanie." "I'm Rainie." "Oh, you're good kids!" Queenie started to tear up again. Not only did she get to reunite with her birth daughter, but she also gained two cute and intelligent grandchildren. The usually stern Jack could not contain his emotions. He crouched to the children's eye level, just like any ordinary grandfather. He patted their heads and asked them, "How old are you two? Which grade are you in?" He had already known the answers from his wife, but he would like to hear it from the children's mouths. He adored children, especially their crisp voices and pure eyes. "Grandpa, I'm Rainie Crawford. I'm in the first grade, and I love to sing, dance, and draw, but most of all, I love taking naps…" The extro
A rather beautiful man in a suit was standing in a corner of the banquet hall. His eyes were animated, and his chin was delicate. His looks might be feminine, but his demeanor did not give other people that impression. With a champagne flute in hand, he smiled profoundly as his eyes were transfixed on Bianca on the stage. The man seemed elegant and gentlemanly, but when he smiled, he gave the conflicting impression that he was a hooligan. An intelligent-looking man in black-framed glasses who stood next to him explained, "Mr. Blatt, the woman on the stage is Bianca Rayne, the new acting CEO of T Corporation. Earlier, she had tried to compete with a plot of land near Draco Lake but failed miserably." "Failed miserably?" The man who was addressed as "Mr. Blatt" said softly and narrowed his gaze. He smiled ambiguously as his eyes lazily drifted toward the attractive woman on the stage once more. His name was Vincent Blatt, CEO of Blatt Corporation. He came from an illustrious
Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean was the Island of Despair. One could not find the island on any map. Its existence was like a phantom on the gray-blue ocean surface. Constantly shrouded in fog, it was isolated from the rest of the world. Sharp and jagged reefs like devils' teeth surrounded the island, threatening to rip apart anyone who went near. The first rays of the rising sun appeared on the horizon. A tall and well-built man leaned on a reef. His handsome face was like sculpted marble, and his profound eyes were like polished agate. He pressed his lips tightly as he gazed at the endless ocean and a hidden bay in front of him. At the edge of the bay was a large steel cage. Locked in the cage were a thin man and woman, as well as a drugged lion. The people were fighting bare-handed with the lion. How could two weak and starved people be a match for the berserk lion? The two people attacked the lion together, but they were also badly injured. Very soon, their bat
"I'm bringing Tommy to look for Luke in Moscow," Bianca said. Sue's hands slipped, and the little toddler nearly fell from her knees. She quickly hugged Tommy tightly and stared straight at Bianca. "Tommy is only two years old. He is still too young to travel long distances. Moreover, Mr. Crawford is a very intelligent man. If he is still alive, he should have come home by now. I know that you still can't accept the truth, but I believe that Mr. Crawford is no more… "He was attacked in Moscow, which means that he has enemies there. That place won't be safe for Tommy and your son, and you'll be exposing yourself to unnecessary danger. Won't you at least think about Tommy's safety? He's still so small…" "No, I believe that Luke is still alive. Consider it a hunch." Bianca did not accept Sue's analysis, even though it made a lot of sense. She would not accept that Luke was dead as long as she did not see his body. Moreover, Gordan had given her some information earlier that Lu
Bianca hugged Tommy close to her and smiled superficially at Vincent. "Can I help you with anything, Mr. Blatt?" Vincent had fair skin, and his features were so charming that it could even charm a dog. If he put on a wig and a dress, he would definitely pass off as a beautiful woman. However, his sinister personality was a stark contrast with his appearance. The Blatts had a large extended family that often plotted against each other. It was impressive that Vincent could emerge from the conflict and gain Old Master Blatt's favor, and it was proof that Vincent was a capable individual. When it came to deception and trickery, he had surpassed his elders. "Better offend the devil than Vincent Blatt." That was how the saying went in A City. It showed how terrifying Vincent was. Bianca had rejected Vincent's advances. To Vincent, nothing could offend him more. He had tried to bully T Corporation for the past two years. Fortunately, Bianca had the support of Mr. and Mrs. Norman
Old Master Crawford was lying on a lounge chair in the garden of Crawford Manor. Next to him was a cup of fine tea. The old man loved his tea. When Bianca came into the garden, she noticed that Old Master Crawford seemed listless. His face was beset with wrinkles, and his gaze was hollow and forlorn as he stared at the plants. Ever since he found out that Luke was killed, his body, which had not been in good shape, deteriorated rapidly like a wilted plant. "Were you looking for me, Grandpa?" Bianca walked behind Old Master Crawford and gently massaged his neck and shoulders. Old Master Crawford turned his head to look at his granddaughter-in-law and smiled lovingly. "I'm glad that you're here, Bea. I want to ask you about the latest happenings in the company, and also… have you found another significant other yet?" He knew that Bianca was a very capable woman who single-handedly took on the responsibility of bringing T Corporation out of a financial crisis two years ago.
Lucius was different.He did not care about getting close to anyone, whether man or woman. Even when Hera’s attempts to seduce him were blatantly obvious, he still remained unmoved and even showed signs of rejection.Gerald could not help but marvel at Luca’s sharp observations and incisive remarks. He could not help but clap his hands lightly, genuinely impressed.“Lucius truly is exceptional,” said Gerald.Luca came downstairs.When she took the last step off the stairs, the men in the living room immediately fell silent.They held their breath as they watched the woman in front of them. Her hair was straight, not like their boss' companion.The men's gazes grew intense.Luca’s expression darkened.Gerald stood beside her and said, “See, I told you—you’re like a piece of meat dropped into a pack of wolves. Be careful.”One of the men heard Gerald and asked unhappily, “Hey, kid, what are you saying? What wolves? We’re gentlemen. We’d never dream of doing anything inappropr
When Gerald heard this, his face fell. “Huh? Ms. Craw, you're not cooking anymore?”Luca said nothing. Luke had already left with the others. She turned her gaze back before walking inside.Gerald realized that Luca had only been cooking breakfast because of Lucius. The thought puzzled him. Had they taken a liking to each other from the very start? That did not seem right.In this fast-paced modern world, even if they had, using something as old-fashioned as cooking to win someone over did not add up.Still, the timing was too coincidental to ignore. Luca started cooking for everyone when Lucius arrived, and she stopped as soon as he left. That realization gave Gerald an eerie feeling.Thinking they might have known each other back on the island, it all suddenly made sense. Of course! They must have met before. How else could this all line up so perfectly?With that thought, Gerald quickly caught up with Luca. “Ms. Craw, my cooking is terrible. Why don’t you keep doing it?”
Kassy’s eye donor was Hera, the one Abel had brought over.Even though Hera’s eyes resembled Kassy’s, they did not meet the criteria for a transplant. However, Hera’s blood type matched Kassy’s exactly.Hence, Abel decided to use Hera’s eyes. His belief was that her eyes were specifically meant for Kassy.Shanks knew he would not be able to change Abel’s mind, so he did not try. Abel’s stubbornness was something even Kassy herself could not sway.Luca remained silent for a while, not saying anything further. She understood that using a cadaver was the best option as it would not harm anyone.However, the eyes Abel wanted for Kassy were not from a cadaver. He intended to take them from Hera.Luca certainly would not participate in such a surgery. It was too cruel.“What are you thinking?” Shanks suddenly asked.Luca shook her head. “I’m just thinking about the volunteer’s situation.”“You’re wondering if this solution will be marketed, aren’t you?” Shanks suddenly asked.L
“I’m still a bit worried. Let me take a look in your room and change the dressing while I’m at it.” Luca knew Luke would not want her to worry. Therefore, she needed to see for herself that everything was fine before she could feel at ease.“Alright.” Luke knew she was worried about him, so the two of them headed into the room.He took off his shirt, revealing the bandage wrapped around his torso.Luca could not help but chuckle at the sight. The wrapping was done by Gerald, and it was hilariously sloppy. It was haphazardly bound—overly tight in some places and entirely uneven. It looked like it was just meant to cover the wounds, with no thought for neatness.“Stop laughing.” Luke was clearly rendered speechless by Gerald’s lackluster bandaging skills as well.If it were not for the fact that it was difficult to bandage himself, he would never have let Gerald do it.“With it wrapped like this, how are you supposed to sleep at night?” Luca asked as she began unwrapping the ba
Abel chuckled. His voice was low and gravelly.“Hera, let’s agree on something. Don’t use threats of leaving to manipulate me anymore, or I won’t be happy,” said Abel in a low voice.What might have sounded like a plea or a compromise came across to Hera as a veiled threat.The cool sensation of his fingers brushed against her eyelids, and she could not help but shiver. His touch felt as cold as death itself. She could not feel a trace of warmth.Her hands clenched tightly together. The tension in her grip was the only thing keeping her from trembling further.“Alright,” Hera murmured obediently.Abel withdrew his hand. Hera opened her eyes. A strange unease stirred within her. For reasons she could not quite explain, Abel’s behavior filled her with an unsettling dread…“Will you stay at the hospital with me tonight?” Hera could not help but crave some semblance of comfort.Abel frowned slightly. “Stay here with you? And what about Luca?”“You could just send her home. I onl
Luca's expression was serious, and Hera realized she was not just trying to scare her. Ignoring her warnings had already caused her to suffer once.Unwillingly, Hera sipped on the cereal. Her resentment was evident in every movement.Luca noticed it was not difficult for her to handle. She quietly sat down and ate her own bowl of cereal.Hera did not have much of an appetite.Hera took a couple of bites before growing bored. She glanced at Luca and asked, “How did you end up working for Abel?”Luca did not respond. She calmly blew on her cereal and ate in silence, showing no intention of engaging in conversation.“I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?” snapped Hera.Luca lifted her gaze briefly and replied, “You should finish your cereal before it gets cold.”“I’m not even hungry.” Hera really had no appetite and was not planning to eat the cereal.“It’s still better if you eat something. Otherwise, when hunger strikes later, don’t expect me to help you,” said Luca, “I’m only he
Luke had never taken the medicine that could speed up healing, so his recovery was nowhere near as fast as the others from the Island of Despair.Luca did not respond to Gerald’s comment. Her gaze fixed on him with intensity.“No stitches,” said Luke, “I trust you.”Luca bit her lower lip.“But if you don’t stitch it, it might tear open,” insisted Gerald, staring at Luke’s wounds.Luke glanced at his injuries and shrugged, seemingly unconcerned, as though the wounds had nothing to do with Luca.“Stitches will leave scars.”“Are you afraid of scars? What kind of man doesn’t have a few scars on him? Scars are a symbol of manhood,” teased Gerald with a playful tone, “Scars show you’re reliable, that you can protect a woman.”Luke gave him a look as though he were an idiot, then his gaze shifted to Luca. “I don’t want too many scars. I’m worried my future wife might dislike them.”Luca’s heart sank at his words, but his lighthearted remark eased her sadness. Despite the severity
Luca could not help but tremble with heartache. She fought hard to resist the urge to rush forward.Everyone in the room had survived brutal training to make it out of the Island of Despair, and they could not help but shudder when they saw the scene. The sound of the whip felt like it was landing on their own bodies.Gerald closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer. It was too cruel for him to watch.The ten lashes felt like an eternity, stretching on for what seemed like a century.Luca looked at the drenched clothes on Luke. His eyes were red, and his shirt was so soaked that you could wring out the blood from it. Her hands were clenched so tightly into fists that the veins were bulging.Abel tossed the whip aside, looking at Luke’s disheveled state with satisfaction. He enjoyed the thrill of this bloody scene.He turned to Luca, noticing her reddened eyes, and smiled even more devilishly. “Hera is in the hospital now. You’ll go take care of her for the next few da
Luca instantly understood the situation. It was about Hera.Hera was someone Abel valued, possibly as a future corneal donor for Kassy. While Abel might not love Hera now, he certainly took her health seriously.In a calm tone, Luca explained, “She was hospitalized due to inflammation that caused a fever.”Abel furiously flung his half-smoked cigar at her. The glowing embers singed her clothes, leaving a small burn mark.She instinctively stepped aside.Abel roared, “What kind of care is this?! I told you to look after her! Is this how you handle things?”Luca was perplexed. When did he ever tell her to look after Hera?Besides, she did take care of her.”When Ms. Sanchez fainted last night, she already had a low-grade fever. I diagnosed her condition as inflammation and prescribed anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing medication. I also emphasized that she needed to take oral anti-inflammatory drugs. She didn’t trust me and threw out Mr. Shanks’ medication, which led to her con