The extraordinarily lavish wedding ceremony lasted until close to midnight. The guests slowly dispersed, and the lively venue resumed its peace. Luke and Bianca decided to have their honeymoon at the castle on the water. In the dreamy night, a black Rolls Royce adorned with flowers drove silently along a path among the woods toward the fairytale-like ancient castle. Countless fireworks illuminated the night sky, opening and closing like gigantic umbrellas. Bianca sat in Luke's embrace, looking at the beautiful scenery through the car window. She was entirely mesmerized. A firework's life was short, but it would give a lasting impression beyond its lifespan. Life was like that too. They might encounter multiple obstacles that stood in their way, but as long as they held each other tightly, they would be able to shine like fireworks. Their future would be as bright and blissful as they made it to be. The Rolls Royce slowed to a halt in front of the entrance of the c
Luke smiled bewitchingly. There was a playful glint in his gentle gaze. He gazed at Bianca as though she were a priceless treasure. Suddenly, the man picked Bianca up in a bridal carry. "Let this king bathe you, my queen." Bianca could not help but chuckle. She did not expect that the usually serious man would indulge in role-play… "Shouldn't the queen bathe the king instead? That's what I see in the movies," Bianca joked. "If that is what my queen wishes. Thou shalt not go back on thy word." Luke glanced playfully at Bianca. Bianca covered her mouth and smiled. "Hmm, if I'm your queen, does it mean that you have a harem that I don't know?" "Thou art my only queen. My empire shalt only be shared with thee." He grinned wickedly, and his hands quickly relieved Bianca of her clothes and even her underwear. He carried her and stepped into the bathtub. The lavish bathroom was covered in mist, and the man did not attempt to hide his desires. Bianca almost could not breath
Luke knew that Bianca loved to look at the architecture of foreign countries, especially European architecture. That was why Luke decided to bring her there for the honeymoon. Three days later, a gigantic cruise ship docked at the port of Venice, Italy's famous "Floating City." Venice was full of history. Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, the opera house, and the basilica were the famous attractions that oozed culture and beauty. Tourists of many different countries were wandering the city. Piazza San Marco was the liveliest spot in Venice. It had been the social, religious, and political center of the city, and it was a must-visit landmark of the city. Surrounding the public square were many cafes, boutiques, and specialty stores that attracted visitors from different countries. Near the square was an open field with neatly trimmed grass, exquisite corridors, a beautiful musical fountain, and flocks of pure white pigeons. The musical fountain was surrounded by various sc
It was a beautiful woman about five-foot-seven in height. Her curly hair was dyed purple-red. She had the typical face of an internet celebrity -- big eyes, a tapered chin, apple-red lips, and puffy cheeks. She had heavy makeup on her face, though it was obvious that she had many hyaluronic acid injections. Her appearance made her stand out from the rest of the tour group. Bianca could tell that the woman was Hera Sanchez, her classmate in junior high. Hera was once the prom queen. She was quite different from how she looked in high school, but her overall shape did not change. Bianca remembered Hera very well because she used to be her bully. Bianca did not remember the names of the two young women next to her, but she remembered seeing them before. They were part of Hera's gang. Hera was hugging the arm of a plump middle-aged man and resting her head on that man's shoulder. The man was a full head shorter than Hera. His face was as round as a plate, and his eyes w
Hera chuckled and spoke to Bianca arrogantly, "I'd love to bring my classmates on a trip, but I don't think I can do it this year." Bianca blinked, and a hint of mockery appeared on her lips. "Oh, why is that?" Hera grinned smugly. "You should know that you need a visa to travel, and it's such a hassle to apply for one. It'll take forever for everyone to get ready. Also, everyone's busy with their careers and families now, and we won't gather everyone. What's the point if we can't get everyone?" She thought that she was quite smart for thinking of such an excuse. Once she got out there, Bianca would not be able to find her. Bianca frowned. "There are some countries…" She wanted to say that certain countries, such as the Maldives and Mauritius, did not require a visa or offered visas upon arrival. Hera interjected before she could finish her sentence. She opened her eyes exaggeratedly. "You look confused. Don't tell me that you don't even have a passport!" Minnie and A
Hera was shocked by Luke's icy gaze. She felt as though her heart was popping out of her chest. She tried to calm herself down while still trying to dress down Bianca. "You probably don't know about her, Luke. Bianca and I used to be from the same town, and she's been a sleazy girl since I knew her. Not only does she have multiple boyfriends, but I've also heard that she secretly dates her teacher and trades her body for good results. Don't be deceived by her pure looks." Bianca crossed her arms and watched in amusement how Hera was trying to slander her. If she had a shorter temper, she would have slapped Hera several times already. Of course, she did not do that. If Hera found out that the "pathetic worm" had become Luke's wife, Bianca could not imagine the expression on her face! 'Hmm… this'll be interesting.' Bianca could not help but grin when she thought of how Hera was digging her own grave. Hera thought that Bianca's grin was supposed to instigate her. She gla
The people from the tour group began to discuss animatedly after hearing what Luke said. A girl with a round face almost collapsed. Her friend managed to steady her. "I didn't expect that the girl was Mr. Crawford's wife. If that's the case, she couldn't have smuggled here…" They did not expect that sudden revelation. The subject of ridicule was actually the wife of the CEO of T Corporation. "That's right!" The round-faced girl's friend was a tall young woman in glasses. "I thought that she looked somewhat extraordinary earlier. I bet Hera insulted her only because she's jealous of her." "Right. Hera looked so confident too! I nearly believed her. Tsk tsk, how shameless!" "Mr. Crawford's wife is so pretty. Look, I don't think she's wearing any makeup. Her skin is so smooth. She's the perfect match with Mr. Crawford." "Look at Hera's boyfriend. He might be rich, but he's probably a windfall tycoon… Not to mention he looks like a pig. Poor Hera… heheh…" Hera became the fo
Bianca and Luke's honeymoon lasted for almost two weeks. On the last day of their honeymoon, they had planned to take a flight back to A City. However, Percy's cruise ship happened to dock in the city they were in, and he invited the newly-wed couple on board. The couple delayed their plans of returning and went on the ship. The Mallory family ship was called the Zephyr. It was the property of the Mallory family, and it could sail freely on the open sea. The cruise ship was more than ten floors high and could hold more than a thousand passengers. It cost a billion to build it. The amenities of the luxury cruise ship included buffet restaurants, swimming pools, clubs, bars, gyms, galleries, space simulator rides, casinos, and so on. Only the top hundred wealthiest individuals in the world would receive an invitation to board the cruise ship. All other passengers would have to pay for an expensive ticket to enjoy what the ship had to offer. Everything above the tenth floo
“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