Bianca smiled and continued to massage him. The slender fingers of her right hand occasionally stopped at his sensitive Adam's apple, while the other hand kept pressing gently on Luke’s temples, smoothing out his furrowed eyebrows. Her strength was just right, and the acupoints were accurately massaged. It made Luke feel comfortable, his exhaustion seemingly melting away. While she was massaging him, Bianca said softly, "Luke, you seem to be frowning a lot recently. It's not good. You’re a young man, but you’re turning into an old man with wrinkles." Luke looked back at her and saw her obsidian eyes. A loving look appeared when he saw Bianca’s face. "You won’t love me if I turn into an old man?" Bianca gently hit him a few times with her fists before saying softly, "What do you mean? Even if you become an ugly monster, I’ll always love you. It’s just that your expression is always so serious and you don’t even seem relaxed when you get home. I’m worried about y
Bianca knew that he was most likely joking with her, but she could not help but smile as she gazed into Luke's focused eyes. She gently rubbed his chin with her tender hands. "Hmph! Stop making fun of me!" His chin was clean and smooth. He had shaved his stubble beard while he was in the bathroom earlier. She could smell his unique body scent and the freshness of the shower cream. Bianca's gaze fell on his hair… There were several gray hairs among his damp black hair. Bianca carefully plucked those gray hairs and showed them to him. She smiled stiffly as she gazed at his handsome face. "This is the second time I found gray hairs on your head, Luke…" Luke hugged her slender waist and brought her close. He did not mind the gray hairs that much. "That's normal. People of my age should have at least a few gray hairs. Do you think that I'm already old, my wife?" Bianca kissed his thin lips and rested her head on his chest. "You're not old, and I'm not saying that you are.
Doubtfully, Jack began to unwrap the mysterious delivery package. It was mysterious because there was no name or address on it. Ms. Bosch was worried that it might be a letter bomb or that it might contain harmful substances. She scanned it and made sure that it only contained paper documents before handing it once more to Jack. When Jack opened the envelope and read the document, his usually stern face turned ashen, and his body began to tremble slightly. He slammed the document on the table, picked up his coat, and rushed back home. … A few days earlier, Luke had obtained several bottles of imported herbal liqueurs. Bianca gave Old Master Rayne two bottles. She wanted to give two bottles to Old Mr. Norman, but she was busy with her new business, and she had nearly forgotten about it. She only remembered it when she happened to glance at the two bottles sitting in the wine cabinet. Old Mr. Norman was her biological grandfather. Bianca did not have too many interactions
Leia was dressed in a pure white sleeveless scalloped dress with a round neckline and a tapered waistline. She had light makeup on, and that made her look like an innocent young woman. She seemed quite docile, just like the character she always portrayed back when she was an actress. Her right hand was holding Old Mrs. Norman's arm, while her left was holding two big shopping bags. She was whispering something to her grandmother. Old Mrs. Norman was giggling happily. Wrinkles appeared on her well-maintained face. "Grandma," Bianca stood up from her seat and greeted Old Mrs. Norman. She held a grape in her hand. The sweetness that had lingered in her mouth suddenly became tasteless. Old Mrs. Norman reflexively turned to the voice that had greeted her. She was visibly surprised when she saw Bianca, and the joyous expression on her face reduced by a little. "It's you, Bianca. Why did you come here when it's so warm outside?" She was not fond of that granddaughter, even though
There was an unexpected guest at lunch. That was a young man in his late twenties who looked somewhat effeminate. He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, and his hair was in a side part hairstyle. He looked like a business elite. Old Mrs. Norman explained that the young man was named Brody Hilton, and he was the grandson of a good friend. He had just returned from abroad and was here to visit Old Mrs. Norman. She said that the young man had a good background. He had a doctorate from MIT, and he was currently the chairman of an Esports association under Hilton Corporation, as well as the general manager of several media companies. Throughout lunch, Old Mrs. Norman's gaze flitted between Leia and Brody. Her matchmaking intentions were all too obvious. Bianca did not have a good impression of that young man. He might seem gentlemanly, but Bianca always felt that his eyes often wandered toward her chest. Bianca was dressed in a conservative dress that covered her body fro
Brody might have been abroad for many years and interacted with many women there, but he remained a conservative and chauvinistic man. He could not tolerate his future wife having sexual relations with other men before marriage. He grunted contemptuously and said, "I guess young women are more liberal nowadays. They like preening themselves and sleep around while they're barely legal. How shameless! If I were to marry a woman like that, she'd be making me a cuckold the next day!" He thought that Bianca looked pure and innocent, but he did not expect that she was so immodest. His expression was extremely unpleasant, as though he had swallowed a dead fly. Bianca shot a disdainful glance at Brody and chuckled. She was not going to entertain him. That man did not specifically name her, but Bianca was less than impressed by his beliefs. 'Is he from the Victorian era? Who still thinks like that nowadays? 'To think that he works abroad, too!' Old Mr. Norman seemed extremely un
Of course, Bianca did not say it. After all, she did not want anything to do with that man. Whatever he did was none of her business. The rest of the lunch was just as dramatic. Bianca enjoyed her meal while watching the comedy. On the other hand, Leia was the total opposite. The meal was tasteless, and she found it hard to swallow her food. After lunch, Brody and Leia looked at each other for a while, and he invited her to go shopping. Old Mrs. Norman stared earnestly at Leia, and she could only agree sheepishly. After the couple left, Bianca stayed at home and played chess with Old Mr. Norman. Old Mr. Norman was a skilled player, but Bianca was not bad either. That was how they spent the next two hours. While playing, Bianca and her grandfather chatted about architecture. Bianca was surprised that her grandfather was quite knowledgeable in architecture, even more so than some professional architects, even though he did not have a degree in it. That impressed Bianca qu
The exquisite inkwell fell on the floor, but it did not shatter as ordinary ones would. However, one of its corners chipped off when it hit the floor, giving it an ugly imperfection. Leia pretended to cover her mouth. She half-closed her eyes to hide the cunning in her gaze. "Sorry for bumping into you, Bianca, but… you broke Grandpa's favorite inkwell! Don't you know that it's an antique? Dad bought it at his old friend's auction at a high price. Grandpa usually keeps it safe, but you…" Bianca's heart skipped a beat when she saw the inkwell on the floor. She had an ominous feeling about it. She had never seen that small antique before, but she could tell from the exquisite carvings that it was worth a lot of money. It was a pitiful sight that it lay broken on the floor. At the same time, the old couple came into the study. Old Mr. Norman could sense that the atmosphere in the study was not quite right. "What's wrong?" He asked sternly. Leia hurriedly ran next to Old Mr.
The men in the room were wincing in pain, but when they heard Gerald’s words, they were so furious they almost wanted to lash out at him. However, all their strength had been sapped by the excruciating pain, so they could only groan helplessly.As Shanks made his way upstairs, he paused halfway up the staircase and asked, “Is Luca cooking?”Gerald glanced at the kitchen and replied, “Yes, Mr. Shanks. It’s their fault. Ms. Craw was delayed in making dinner because of them.”Shanks' expression remained unchanged as he simply said, “Let me know when it's ready.”“Yes,” answered Gerald.After Shanks went upstairs, Gerald hesitated for a moment but decided to help the men to their feet, placing them one by one on the couch or chairs. As they slouched, groaning in pain, Gerald shook his head. “Do you guys now understand what happens when you mess with the wrong woman, especially Ms. Craw?”One of the men winced and asked, “Why did she have to be so brutal when throwing down?”“She
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