As Luke looked at Bianca curled up pathetically on the floor, the pain that came from within him was like a metal claw that tore his innards into shreds. At that moment, his blood turned into ice, and every single last cell in his body hummed and buzzed. Kassy's face turned as pale as a ghost when she saw Luke. She understood that the delay had caused her to miss the only chance she could kill that woman and her children. Luke slowly crouched down and hugged Bianca. "All of you… how dare you harm my wife and children!" His voice was cold, but one could sense the anger in it. The biting chill and ferocious anger in his voice caused Kassy and the thugs to take one step back subconsciously. Luke's people had surrounded them and pointed guns at their heads. They dared not make a sound. As Luke glanced at them, they dared not meet his eyes. The sharp-faced thug who had perverse thoughts about Bianca almost wet his pants. His fingers slipped, and his gun fell on the floor.
Bianca's field of vision was blurry, though her eyes eventually focused on Luke's handsome face. She would have thought that she was still dreaming, if not that she could clearly feel the intense warmth of Luke's body. She opened her cracked lips and said hoarsely, "L… Luke." Luke pressed his lips together and replied to her softly, "Good girl, I'm here." He tried to hold back the agony in his heart. Suddenly, Bianca began to struggle in his arms. Then, she clenched her fists, and punches landed on Luke's body like raindrops! "Why did you only come now? Don't you know how afraid I was? If you had come one second later, the children and I would be gone forever… Don't you know, I broke down when I saw them injecting our children with drugs… I kept on calling your name, but you did not appear. I was in despair!" Her eyes were bloodshot as she punched and kicked Luke with all her might. Everyone was shocked by that scene. They knew that Luke was the Cold-Faced Devil and w
Bianca pointed at the leader of the thugs and whispered into Luke's ear, "I wasn't violated, Luke. The man they call 'Blackhook' told me to put up an act with him. He was also the one who swapped the drugs that they inject into our children. Can you… spare his life?" Luke furrowed his brows. He glanced at Bianca's pale face, then at the tanned and impassive leader of the thugs. He hesitated for a second before ordering Gale and Rain, "Spare the man named Blackhook. Kill everyone else!" Gale nodded, and a perverse smile appeared on his young face. "Don't worry, Mr. Crawford. I'll let them experience a fate worse than death!" Gale and Rain grew up on the Island of Despair. They had vivid memories of the cruel methods of punishment there. Luke continued to walk out of the factory with Bianca in his arms, casting a proud and invulnerable shadow behind him. The sharp-faced thug covered his head and trembled as he stood next to Kassy. "What should we do now, Ms. Kassy?" They we
Bianca finally fell asleep around midnight. While on the plane, Luke had cleaned her in the airplane's bathroom, changed her into a set of comfortable pajamas, and applied ointment on the bruises of her body. Luke leaned on the headboard, holding a cigarette between his fingers. He wanted to light it, but after realizing that Bianca was very sensitive to the stench, he put the cigarette away. No one knew what he was thinking. The soft light in the luxury cabin that landed on his body made him seem even taller, but at the same time, cast a lonely shadow. He was angered greatly when Kassy yelled that Bianca had been violated, but other than anger, he could only feel tenderness and pity for Bianca. He would not mind if Bianca were really violated. He loved her body, but he loved her soul even more. If something had really happened to her, he would not blame her. Instead, he would blame himself for not protecting her. He might be a clean freak, but he wanted to live a h
Bianca felt a little guilty when she saw a faint handprint on Luke's face. She remembered that she had landed a vicious slap on his cheek when she could not control her emotions. She could feel that her palm was still stinging. Bianca tenderly caressed his face and said hoarsely, "Does your face still hurt, Luke?" She regretted slapping him. However, she could not help but feel aggrieved that he had come so late. She could not imagine what would happen to her and the children if Luke had arrived another second later. The man's gaze wavered slightly. He placed his hands on her tender cheeks and stared straight into her eyes. "It doesn't hurt at all. Not a bit." "You're lying!" Bianca laughed with tears in her eyes, playfully tugged at his short hair, and pouted. "Don't you know how afraid I was back then? I was afraid that I might not see you again, but I was even more afraid that something might happen to our children. Don't you know, Luke, I'd rather die than see any h
The three children hugged the door frame and looked into the room, intimidated by their father's authority. They looked quite adorable. Naturally, Bianca noticed them. She put down her fork and spoon and beckoned at her children with a smile. "Come in, my babies… Have you had your lunch? Won't you eat with me?" Luke knew that the children were afraid of him. He whispered something next to Bianca's ear, then nodded at the children and let them come in. Seeing that their father allowed them to go in, they answered their mother's call and ran inside. "Mommy! Huggy…" The first to run in was Tommy. He stretched out his arms, and he seemed too anxious to be hugged by his mother. Before he reached the bed, Luke lifted him by his collar like an eagle snatching a little bird. "Your Mommy hasn't recovered yet. Wait until she's better before you hug her." Tommy pouted unhappily, and Bianca wanted to laugh because that little boy looked so similar to his father. However, seeing Tom
After Bianca brushed her teeth and washed her face, she thought of putting on makeup. Kassy had put on her makeup meticulously when she abducted Bianca. She put lipstick on her lips and wore high heels. Bianca wanted to show that she was the superior woman and that she was not one to be bullied. However, she remembered that Kassy might have been blinded by now. Instead, she wore some loose-fitting casual clothes. When she came out of the bedroom and saw Luke in formal wear, she suddenly felt underdressed. Luke was sitting on the couch and reading a financial newspaper. She hesitated for a while before saying, "Can you wait for me just a little longer?" "Hm?" Luke turned his head and looked at Bianca suspiciously. "Well, I thought that I should put on some light makeup…" Bianca bit her lip as she looked into his eyes. "I don't think it's suitable for me to leave the house like this." Luke looked at her carefully. "It's fine. You look great like this. You're naturally bea
So what if Bianca had Luke's love? She had already been violated by another man! Even though Kassy's eyes were ruined, her face contorted viciously. She pointed in Luke and Bianca's direction and shrieked madly, "Have you seen the video of another man f*cking that b*tch, Matthew? I don't think you have. You shouldn't have been so calm. I don't believe any man could remain composed after knowing that he has been made a cuckold! You can look at that video. Hahaha…" Bianca looked at Kassy with pity. "Kassy, do you still believe that I had been violated? If you're so intelligent, why not spend some time wondering why I'm still standing here, if I truly have been violated? The truth might disappoint you. I was not violated at all." Kassy's body stiffened abruptly. "You're lying! I heard with my own ears that you were moaning and pleading for mercy. Why are…" Luke's expression sank. He wanted to hug Bianca tightly. Bianca smiled at him, indicating that she was fine. Then, she con
“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