The drama at the dining table ended abruptly. Study. Old Master Crawford looked at his handsome grandson who was sitting on the sofa and sighed at how fast time passed. Unknowingly, Zachary had already left for so many years and the baby who was wailing in the swaddle had grown into one of the most influential and highly praised business leaders in the world. Old Master Crawford talked to Luke about T Corporation and then the topic shifted to his personal affairs. "Luke, are you firm on having a wedding with Bianca on the 16th? To be honest, Bianca is a wonderful woman and it’s your luck to be able to spend your life with her. It’s just that… the timing of your wedding is a little rushed. After all, the collapse of The Galleria happened not long ago. I’m afraid that a grand wedding at this timing will lead to strong dissatisfaction from the families of those victims." Luke ashed his cigarette and replied nonchalantly, "I had set the date long ago. I wanted to g
Leia immediately went for a color doppler ultrasound examination. When the image came out, she immediately brought it to Dr. Luis’ office and asked her to take a look at it. The image showed that it was a mid-term pregnancy, single live birth (15W+6D), and posterior placenta. Dr. Luis carefully read the report. She pushed the big-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose and said, "Ms. Norman, you’re pregnant. The baby is 15 weeks and 6 days old." Leia's face turned pale in an instant. She took off her sunglasses and screamed, "That’s impossible! When I was more than 30 days pregnant, I took abortion pills. I was bleeding for a few days after that. How could the child be alive?" Dr. Luis frowned and asked Leia, "When did you take the abortion pill? How did you take it? Which doctor prescribed the abortion pill for you?" Leia sighed and answered truthfully, "Dr. Hoover was the one who prescribed the medicine. She gave me three days worth of medicine and not
Leia was not bothered that there was a faint pain coming from her stomach. In the mirror, her face was pale as a ghost but there was a cruel smile on her face. However, her stomach cramped for only a while before Leia could no longer stand the pain. She lay on her bed, her expression looking dull and absent. Her eyes suddenly widened and she began to scan through her room. Leia's room was well designed. The main colors were pink and white, while her curtains and sofas were all high-end imports. The colors and style were the careful work of well-known designers. It had a dreamy look and feel. When she was a child in the orphanage, she had been forced to loot for food. She had always imagined becoming a princess and getting adopted by well-meaning people in expensive clothes so that she could live in a gorgeous house. After a long wait, she finally saw hope when Mr. and Mrs. Norman visited the orphanage. She plotted to replace Scarlett Quincy and wiggled her
On the other side of town. When Leia woke up in the private room, she realized that she was naked and her body was in pain. She was alone in the private room. After a brief period of confusion, Leia knew what had happened to her.It was because there were countless bruises on her body. A bag containing white powder was placed on the sofa and there was a note under it. Leia took it and saw Cree's messy handwriting. [Ms. Norman, you’re not bad. We’re in business. This is what you need. Would be happy to work with you again.] Leia was so furious that she crumpled the note. She shuddered with disgust at the thought of having slept with such a good-for-nothing the night before. However, she needed this drug. She knew that Cree had slept with her. It happened only once, but what came to her mind was the scene of her doing it with Cree countless times... When she ran to the bathroom, Leia vomited everything that was in her stomach and cursed
Dawn. A high-end hotel. Leia’s high heels, skirt, top, and stockings were scattered on the floor. Brody’s shirt and trousers... Brody woke up in a panic, feeling completely drained. What he saw when he opened his eyes was a magnified pretty face. There was a woman in his arms, and it was Leia. Leia was sleeping sweetly and looked content in his arms. Brody was taken back. He looked at the mess on the floor and smelled the musky scent in the air. As an adult, he knew what had happened between them. The scene of their intense and passionate night came to mind. He felt greatly satisfied. He did not expect that the gentle and polite-looking Leia was so wild in bed. Mm, it seemed that it was not the first time they had spent the night together... "Hmm..." Leia woke up from her sleep. When she saw Brody staring at her, she got up calmly and was not at all bothered that she was naked in front of him. Her body was full of scr
Bianca’s wedding dress was made by the world-renowned wedding dress designer, David. It was the only one in the world, featuring three-dimensional tailoring made by an exclusive soft white yarn. The pure white dress made Bianca's skin glow like snow. The wedding dress was inlaid with three-dimensional hollow roses and diamonds, which showed off her slender figure. She had the delicate look of a young girl and at the same time, the coquettish side and glamor of a woman. At a glance, the stunning bride gave off the aura of a stunning beauty. Bianca looked like an effortlessly beautiful oil painting. She stood quietly, looking so radiant and breathtaking. She attracted the eyes of all the guests and Luke. Bianca looked at the magnificent wedding venue through the veil. She knew that her husband had decorated the place to suit her preferences. She could not help but smile from the warmth and joy she felt. She looked in her husband’s direction and saw Lanie and Rain
The pastor who officiated their wedding was a respected foreign old man. He had an exceptionally kind face and demeanor. The pastor was around 50 years old. He had gray hair and wore a large blouse. He was wearing a bright-colored ribbon on his left arm and held a Bible in his hand. His expression was compassionate and peaceful. The pastor kindly looked at the loving couple who was in front of him. His mature voice was wise and gentle as he asked, "Mr. Luke Crawford, will you take Miss Bianca Rayne as your lawfully wedded wife? To spend your life with her according to the teachings of the Bible, be with her as one before God, to love her, comfort her, and take on the duty of a husband for life, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" Luke held Bianca's hand and answered without any hesitation, "I do!" The pastor maintained his grace and
As she watched Luke and Bianca exchange rings and kiss, Mavis could not help but bawl. She pressed her lips tightly to stop herself from weeping. It was useless. Although she did her best to cry quietly and even though the sound of music was louder than her sobs, the pea-sized tears on her cheeks were real. She knew that her ten-year crush on Luke had to come to an end. When a security guard saw Mavis, who was dressed weirdly and crying, he stepped forward and asked, "Miss, are you alright? Do you need help?" "Thank you, I'm fine." Mavis shook her head to signal to the bodyguard that she was fine. She felt as though her heart was in pieces as she sat down in the farthest seat. She continued to watch Luke and Bianca's wedding. The scene of their happiness was pure abuse for her, but Mavis could not control herself. Luke knew nothing about it. In his striking eyes, there seemed to be only Bianca—his gentle and gorgeous Bianca. The wedding
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