A gentle smile appeared on Queenie's face. "You shouldn't trouble yourself. I'm feeling fine." "How did you become like this, Mom?" Bianca gently hugged Queenie and said sadly. She could feel her mother's bony frame in her arms. Queenie gently caressed her daughter's hair and comforted her, "It's an old problem. I've been trying to keep it in check, but it flares up once in a while. I'm already old, and I can't catch up with you young ones. Right, where are my darling grandchildren? I haven't seen them for many days, and I miss them. Why didn't you bring them with you?" "I was in a rush to see you, Mom, and I didn't pick them up. I'll bring them the next time I come to visit." Bianca held her mother's hand tightly and said, "Why don’t you stay over at our house while you recuperate? I'll hire some psychologists to treat your symptoms. You'll recover quicker that way, and I won't have to be so worried." Queenie smiled lovingly and gently patted her daughter's hand. "You don
Leia shuddered when she saw Wayne's savage expression. She patted his chest in an attempt to flatter him and stammered, "D- Don't be like that, Wayne. I'll be scared. Also, you're in my house now, and I'd rather not have bloodshed here. I hate Luke and Bianca as much as you, but this isn't the time to act…" She wished for the death of that couple, but she would not want anything to happen to her parents. If word got out, her reputation would be finished! However, Wayne gripped her jaw tightly, and his body coiled around hers like a snake. "I didn't expect that the usually cruel Ms. Norman would be so kind. Tsk tsk! You learn something new every day…" Wayne's voice was low, and his expression was ghastly. Leia could only struggle in panic. She widened her eyes to express her anger. "Don't… Don't act rashly, Wayne. There are so many people in the house today. What if…" Leia felt something metallic and tubular press on her waist. She glanced downward, and her heart began t
While Bianca was deep in thought, a pure white cat with long hair came through the hedge. Then, it entered the house through the window in the kitchen and landed next to Bianca's feet. Bianca saw that it was a very beautiful chinchilla cat with stumpy legs and blue eyes. "Oh? Where's this cat from? Why have I never seen you before?" Bianca put away the spoon in her hand, crouched down, and gently patted the cat's fluffy fur. The cat meowed and purred, evidently enjoying the attention. Bianca loved small and furry animals. The cat seemed to be the perfect pet. Ms. Lang explained to her while stirring the pot. "The cat's name is Sweetie. Mr. Norman had imported it from overseas for Mrs. Norman. Mrs. Norman loves it very much. She loves pets, but she has never reared one because she's allergic to cat fur. The medication she's taking now helps control the allergy, and that's why Mr. Norman gave her a cat. "Meow…" The cat meowed proudly as though agreeing to what Ms. Lang said
Bianca was not very loud, but her voice echoed in the otherwise empty corridor. "Meow, meow…" Sweetie meowed and wagged its tail after hearing Bianca's voice. Leia's room quietened down abruptly. The wind blew through the open window at the end of the corridor and scattered Bianca's hair. That made her break out in goosebumps. Hearing that there was no reaction, Bianca knocked on the door once more. "Leia, Mom is asking you to go downstairs for lunch. Open the door! Are you inside?" About two minutes later, Leia's angry voice could be heard from inside. "I heard you the first time! What's the rush? You can go downstairs first. I'll go after I change my clothes!" "Alright, I know." After Bianca said that, she did not go down the stairs. Instead, she waited quietly next to the railing. Sweetie blinked at Bianca and meowed twice. Bianca shushed the cat, bent over, and picked it up. She caressed the cat's smooth fur while waiting for Leia to come out of the bedroom. Lei
Bianca tried to regulate her breathing. She did not want anything to happen to Luke, and at the same time, she tried to think of a way to free herself. However, Wayne had a vice-like grip on her throat. She was not strong enough to break out of the grip, so she could only be manipulated and led away by Wayne. Wayne treated Bianca as an inanimate object. As he dragged her away, her head struck the railings and made her dizzy. Luke was blocking the staircase, and Wayne could not go there. Bianca could see Luke's tall and slender silhouette. The man was dressed in a black suit, and his features were harsh and cold. She could tell that he was worried about her condition, but at the same time, his hostility toward Wayne was like a demon. Wayne was about to fire another shot when Sweetie pounced out from nowhere and clawed at Wayne's hand that was holding the gun. Wayne felt the pain in his hand and fired a shot at the cat. "You animal!" "Meowoo…" Bianca's mind went into
Luke and Jack's threats had agitated Wayne even more. Also, he was not worried that Queenie would fight back. He continued retreating while grasping Queenie tightly and pointing the gun to her head. His face was viciously contorted as he said, "Stand back, all of you! Otherwise, I'll kill this woman!" Jack gritted his teeth as he glared at Wayne coldly, though he decided to give in to Wayne's demands. "Don't hurt my wife, Wayne. I'll let you go. Otherwise, I won't forgive you or your family!" Queenie was dripping in cold sweat because of the pain from Wayne's vice-like grip and the gun on her temple. She knew that she had botched Luke and her husband's plan. She tried not to moan in pain and said defiantly, "Jack, Luke, you don't have to care about me. The most important thing is to bring this villain to justice. I…" "Shut up, filthy b*tch!" Wayne could not stand her voice and hit her head with the butt of the gun. Instantly, blood flowed down her forehead. She could not he
Bianca found the first aid kit in the drawer and helped Luke take off the bloodstained shirt. The man's bare chest was filled with scars of various intensities. Those scars bore evidence of his suffering at the Island of Despair for two years. What shocked Bianca the most was the bullet wound that she found on Luke's chest. Blood was still oozing out from it. Bianca dared not touch the wound. With trembling hands, she used an alcohol swab to clean the surroundings. She tried to hold back the tears in her eyes while she cleaned the wound. "This'll sting a bit, Luke. I'll give Johann a call and tell him to come and treat your wound… I'm afraid that I won't be able to extract the bullet and might worsen your condition. How about I take you to the hospital?" "It's fine. I can handle this myself. It'll be some time before Johann gets here." Luke shook his head at her. He found a pair of medical pliers in the first-aid kit, gritted his teeth, and used the pliers to extract the bu
Leia had been in a muddled state after Wayne escaped. The police questioned her for a long time, but she pretended that she was an innocent victim that had suffered from serious psychological trauma. She gave the police no useful information. After the police left, Leia slumped on the bed in her bedroom. Her legs were spread open as she stared at the floor-to-ceiling window. The usually warm sky seemed to be cut into pieces by a knife, and the trees that swayed in the breeze seemed to be man-eating monsters that terrified her. A sudden gust of wind made the windows shake. The glass threatened to shatter. Leia instinctively curled up in a corner of her bed. The silk blanket that covered her offered her no warmth. She remembered how the police had bombarded her with questions in a stern voice and how her father had given her that look of distrust. She suddenly sat up, feeling terrified. She hoped that Wayne managed to escape.If the police arrested him, he would definitely
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